Man jumps, son ceases to exist, short horror/sci fi story from a collection, still unsolved! Literature

This is all I know:

1. Someone here said that they remember reading something like this. They cannot remember basically anything, except that the cover had a monochrome appearance, largely white with some design in the middle in darker color, covered about a quarter to a third of the cover, and was centered.

2. Someone on Yahoo answers said that Joe Hill (author of Dark Carousel) writes these type of stories.

3. I read this on a horror collection I downloaded in 2015-2017, it was fairly new then. I have tried searching on my Kindle and found nothing.

4. This occurs in the story. A man jumps off a building or balcony (quite possibly suicide), I think a father. The mother and son (how old he was I am not entirely sure) were watching news. Suddenly, the son's body slowly disappears, first I think his legs, then his arms, as this happens, his mother screams, "Eli (I think that was his name), look down at yourself ..." He was ceasing to exist. I cannot remember the ending, but knowing how these stories turn out, I think it was not a happy one.

5. I thought it was the collection, "the Seer of Possibilities - And Other Disturbing Tales" by Thomas O or "Choose Your Doom: Collected Short Stories - Picking Stories for the Apocalypse." Apocalypse seems quite familiar for some reason. Something is telling me that this is from one of the Twisted Endings books by author Timothy D. Mc Lendon, but unfortunately, though I downloaded the entire volumes from Amazon, they were returned, for some reason, they are currently unavailable. I will check E-bay.

6. I asked this (of course here), Reedit, Booksleuth, Yahoo Answers, Do You Remember.co.uk, three horror forums, and I sent this in to my local library. The librarian who was probably the most helpful of anyone, asked this approximately to 500 librarians and not one knew.

Now, I know this is very vague, but I know this must seem familiar to at least someone here, I know tons read horror, and searching several of the queries, people here are quite helpful and have made tons of guesses, and half even led to correct answers, and the queries are even vague. Now, only TWO people have helped, and I wish more would, the majority of the responses are bumps. This is discouraging and I do not know who else to ask. I will find this out by myself if I have to, but as I said, I know several of you read horror, and this must ring bells for someone here. PLEASE HELP.

Edited by thestormtrooper

Unknown Frankenstein Play Literature

My father saw a production of this play in college (1980s). He says it was a two man show between Frankenstein and his monster, set after the events of the book.

-Frankenstein finds the monster in Antarctica, and the rest of the play play (as far as I know) is the two of them discussing philosophy and life topics.

I have not been able to find it, but I would love to find it for him!

Melancholy flavor Literature

There was some novel I remember a teacher reading to the class... I can't remember what grade it was but it's certainly elementary. I only really remember two things about it, there was a part where someone offered the main character... something i think it was candy, and when asking about it they said it's melancholy flavored. The only other thing is I feel like Gone with The Wind was referenced throughout the book...

Kids' storybook(s)? Literature

I have memories of an illustrated story collection for children that I wish I knew the name of. I know for certain the story "In a Dark, Dark Room" was included and had an illustration of an ominous wardrobe, and I also distinctly remember "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" illustrated in a hand-drawn style, and the troll was memorably depicted as a mass of orange hair with cartoony eyes and a nose. The latter story may possibly be from another source, but I'm reasonably confident they were from the same book. Does this ring any bells? I know I read it as a child in the years before 2005, but it could be an older book, since it belonged to extended family whom I am not in contact with.

Possible Sci-Fi book series with Living Statues Literature

All I remember about this series are these aliens who can stand still for a really long time and are often mistaken for statues.

I don’t know either the author or what year the series was originally published.

Please help me find out what it was called!!

Anthology of stories about fairies (Finally resolved!) Literature

I read this as a child - probably in the early 2000s, but it was probably published (way?) earlier. I'm assuming the stories were written by various authors, since they didn't use a consistent mythology about fairies.

One story involved a fairy and a young blind girl. In this story, humans could hear fairies, but were unable to see them. Since the girl was blind though, the fairy was able to to befriend and play games with her, without her realizing that he wasn't just another child.

Another involved a fairy who kept playing pranks on a girl, and making her late for school. I know one thing he did, was transform himself into a baby in a baby carriage, and roll out into the road so that she would save the "baby".

Edited by rachiebird

book about gender swapped magic world Literature

so i was in this TLP thread https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=hsfdbd1c3simew4ezqaco7o4 and i remembered this book i read in middle school that had an example for the proposed trope except i cannot remember the name for my life. it was about this girl who went to this parallel universe where everyone had an opposite sex counterpart and the world ran on magic. i remember instead of tvs they had magic mirrors, they had dragons instead of airplanes, and everyone had a magic familiar.

Picture book about ghosts (Found) Literature

A long time ago, I got a picture book about ghosts that has since been lost. It had 3 short stories in it:

• 1st one was about a small ghost hotel and how its staff must try to stop a greedy businessman from taking over and turning it into his own giant luxurious hotel (with the ghosts as special attractions).
• 2nd one was about a ghost girl attending a ghost school and her efforts to become a proper scary ghost.
• 3rd one was about a ghost man who haunts a small old TV (bought for a boy after his previous one breaks) as he desires to become an entertainer. Problem is, he fails at everything he does.

Additionally, the book was part of what I think was a trilogy, with the other ones being about monsters and haunted places(?).

Edited by Jason444

Author of two series Literature

A female author I think, YA-ish modern fantasy, possibly UK, writing no later than 2005 as I know I read them before university. Wrote two duologies that I know of:

The first is the ‘angels walk among us’ idea, following a Sam who is Lucifer in trying to not let bad things happen. I remember Gabriel, or Gabe, being a bit of a flake, and a point where they were injecting poison into Sam to stop him from stopping them.

That’s the series I’m looking for but I know there’s not much to go on with the plethora of shows that share its tropes. The other series she(?) wrote is more distinct and may be better to find her: a dream world made up of little bubble realms connected by paths. Protag is male ruler of one of these bubbles. Something nightmare-y is encroaching on the safety of these bubbles.

children's book about an alien [SOLVED] Literature

Book about an alien on Earth. She took the form of Earth animals. And once or twice something happens to her, and she has to take another form. She meets these human children - a boy and a girl, I think. Through her interactions with them, they learn that she's a child like them, and her stay on Earth is akin to a field trip, part of her school studies. Once something happens to her, and she comes back to them in another form. I think she spent some time as a dog and chased a squirrel. Or maybe she was a squirrel. Maybe she was also a horse at some point. I remember she had a very alien point-of-view, and there were some sad or bittersweet moments.

She might have lived with a human as a pet for a while before leaving, but I'm not sure.

I think there might have been a scene where the kids are at school when they find out that she's back/okay. Unless I'm mixing that up with Pippi Longstocking.

I read it in the 2000s.

Edited by Twiddler

little tooth fairy with a coin? Literature

so I found this book at the library when I was six, and it had the most beautiful illustrations I'd ever seen. it was about a tiny little tooth fairy who didnt have wings yet (I think) who finds a coin that the tooth fairy (the queen or something) dropped, and therefore a child would not get their tooth taken and get their coin. so the little fairy goes on a journey to get the coin either to the tooth fairy or to the child (I cant remember). the clearest picture in my head is when the little fairy has been given some bubbles to breathe under water and shes face to face with the ocean queen/witch who either has stolen the coin and put it on her crown, or the little fairy lost hers and needs the queens coin. I've literally NEVER been able to find this book again, even after scouring that same library from top to bottom. I wont die happy until I have this book!

Book I can't remember the name of (SOLVED) Literature

I remember this one book my mom read to me a chapter from every night when I was much younger. I have forgotten most of it in general, but I mainly remember there was a circus place that was pure Nightmare Fuel to young me, which had things like a photo of a half man half crocodile (who was described like "a man born without legs to decided to attack the hind legs and tail of a lizard") and a photo of a woman with children's arms growing out of her neck. I distinctly recall asking my mom to skip the descriptions. There was also a guy who could roll his eyes back into his head. Other than that, I can only remember that there was a (minor if my memory is right) character who allegedly killed several "Swedish Moth Lions"

Does anyone know this book?

EDIT: Another note, it is not a horror book at all, and aside from the circus I mentioned it was grounded in reality from what I remember

Edited by KingofNightmares

Girl gets "adopted" by loving family, but it was all a dream (SOLVED) Literature

It was a chapter book, aimed I think at older kids/young teens. It was about a girl who had an unhappy home life, then she goes somewhere and meets this big happy family and gets quasi-adopted by them. She spends all of her time with them and it's great, but they she starts "fading" (like they run into her because they don't see her, or they'll forget about her) and eventually I think she wakes up and it was all a dream and she's back with her original family. Then she does end up meeting the other family in real life, but they're not quite as happy as they were in the "dream."

Edited by f1shst1x

British mystery novel Literature

It starts with a brief prologue about a british police constable (not completely sure about this plot point for reasons that will shortly become clear). He confiscates his sons fake toy gun, then takes a trip to the bank. Once he gets in, the bank is held up by two men, the older one with a real gun and the younger one with a fake gun. The constable decides to foil the robbery by using his son's fake gun against the younger robber. Unfortunately the younger robber's fake gun was real and he proceeds to shoot the constable, killing him, hence why I'm suspicious as to him actually belonging to the police.

Anyways I believe we later find out the younger man was american and had aids due to a distinctive rash.

Edited by jjjj2

No Title Literature

It was a book, released by 1990 because I remember reading it as a kid. The main character was a boy who visited a house peopled by a witch or witches (I want to say that it was three witches). One of the things pointed out in the book was that witches could be told by their double chins, which they'd encourage by placing their chin on their chest (I seem to remember there was a picture of it in the book with one of the witches with her chin on her chest and looking up at the reader. As a child, it inspired me to practice until I could get my chin to do the same). At some point, the kid's walking through a field of grass towards their house (for some reason, the grass sticks out in my head) and the witches give him fantastic things (I want to say, again, three) of which at least one of them was a flying automobile in return for... something. I want to say his soul or for him staying with them forever. Except that a man (I want to say he had a beard and twinkling eyes that were pointed out in book) instead showed up and took his place.

Very odd little book from what I remember of it now. Oddly enough, I largely remember it because of the chin-to-chest thing, and in part because looking back on it, I get this strong feeling of the man who sacrificed himself being an analogue to Jesus, sacrificing himself to save this child who got into the situation due to his own greed.

^_^ Any ideas?

Children’s book about a morning star (medieval weapon) Literature

I remember this one book I skimmed through that was part of a series.

At the beginning, this class of kids is taking care of some butterfly garden, when one of the kids get sent to another room (possibly Detention).

One of the main characters sees a bag with some spikes making an imprint from inside. They think it’s a morning star and the kid that left is going to be tortured with it (yeah...).

At the end it’s revealed to be a pineapple. XD

No Title Literature

I haven't read this, but what was this book called? It was about a black family in New Orleans during the days before Hurricane Katrina. There was a pregnant teenage daughter, and a son who bred pitbulls to fight. Thanks.

Scary Cat Book Literature

I remember hearing about a book that is essentially Watership Down but with cats. I'm not referring to the Warrior cats series. I think it got an animated movie adaptation as well. I can't remember the title for the life of me and my repeated searches of "what is that scary cat book" haven't been working. Please help

French story Literature

So I read an excerpt from this French story that I assume took place in Ghana or Cote D'Ivoire. In it, a bunch of kids sing a song called "Symbole," where they mock kids who speak specific dialects (N'Zima was one of them) and talk about bestowing a "symbol" for it. The headmaster doesn't stop them. One kid speaks one of the dialogues, and is punished for it by having to...carry around some sort of cube? By the end, another kid slips up and says something to his brothers in one of the dialects, so the cube is passed on to him.

(SOLVED) Short story about dystopian world where people are forced to be "average" Literature

SOLVED: The story is Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut.

I cannot for the life of me remember the author nor when it was written, but I do remember the plot mostly. I do know it's a published author, not fan literature, and I'm certain the title of the work was the name of a character in the story but again, I can't remember the name.

The story went like so; in this world, everyone is forced to be "average" - the intelligent must wear eirpieces which emit loud noises to ruin any train of thought, the strong must carry weights, the beautiful must wear face masks, etc. The story revolves around a husband and wife; the husband has an eirpiece and weights, but the wife is considered of average intelligence and beauty and did not require handicaps. They watch TV together and watch a ballet, however the ballerinas are all weighed down and masked so the performance is mostly a disaster. Then, a convict who recently escaped (this is the character who I believe the story's named after) interrupts the broadcast; he's wearing tonnes of weights, and has eirpieces so large they cover his entire head. He frees himself of his weights, mask and eirpiece to reveal he's quite a handsome, strong lad. He frees one of the ballerinas of her weights and mask, revealing her to be as equally beautiful. The two dance freely and happily before being shot and killed on live television. The husband tries to think about what just happened, but a noise from his eirpiece stops his train of thought, and the wife had already forgotten what played on the television. Life goes on.

I read this story in 2016 for a class, though I don't think the date is helpful as I believe the story came out long before then. I'd like to read it again, so any help is appreciated!

Edited by taruandtobi

Child's Play? Literature

A stage play where a little girl goes mute and her parents take her to a child psychologist who uses play therapy to figure out that she has been molested by a family member. The games the girl plays with toys are acted out by cast members as she goes.

Girl Pretends to be Stupid Literature

I read this book in third grade about a girl who tried to get Ds and was disappointed when she got a C. She was really very intelligent, but she played dumb because she felt that her mother would put too much pressure on her if she knew she was smart or something like that.

Book with superpowers or something Literature

This is a book I read for school in elementary school. It was a book where the main family (on the mother’s side). For example one person would have a power where they could make art come to life I think. The main characters aunt would make people do whatever she said akin to charmspeak from the heroes of Olympus. The mothers power was being perfect. The power was called something snappy like a stand or an epithet, however unlike the stands or epithets it was called something like sparkle or shine. I also remember the dad being sick and getting better.

Book about werewolves and pretty boys Literature

I haven't read it so I don't know much about it. I found it here in the wiki but I can't remember the name. Is something about werewolves and Long-Haired Pretty Boys but I'm not sure. The cover is a ginger long-haired dude in a rooftop or something like that. I can't remember more.

EDIT: I don't think is a very popular book. Nothing like Twilight or Anita Blake or whatever.

EDIT 2: I think the page for this work was cut for some reason.

Edited by always_angry

Jesus Christ, but in modern times Literature

Pretty much like the title says. It was set post-1900, and was basically a retelling of the events leading up to the crucifixion. It should be in the public domain, because I remember reading it on Gutenberg.