Vauk House Press


Publisher info

Vauk House Press publishes suspense writer Evan Cobb, genre writer Michael Canfield, with more surprises to come in 2012!

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Scaffolds    by Evan Cobb
Price: $1.99 USD. 5320 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on December 31, 2012. .

For Dan, the restoration job means more than money, it means a chance to work past the accident that took his young wife’s life. Yet it also means seeing Nayoni again, and facing feelings he has never moved beyond. Not when she married a rich architect - and certainly not now - as Nayoni reaches out to Dan - the only one who can help her escape the living hell of her existence.
9 Dark Tales    by Michael Canfield
Price: $5.99 USD. 43070 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on September 26, 2012. .

From around the block, across dimensions, and beyond, come nine disturbances in the fabric of reality: Stairwell to Hell, The Book of Thomas Welte, Solid House, The Common Knight, Transporter Technology, Nameless Man, Citadel Ninety-Nine, Too Much Information About Joss Kaffee, The Story Boat. Note: This edition combines stories from two short collections: HORROR QUARTET and THE COMMON KNIGHT.
The Daylight Singles Mixer    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8030 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on September 25, 2012. .

How could Jessie and Lia, friends since high school, meet anyone cool when, instead of hanging out in clubs, they spend their nights in galoshes and jumpsuits, hosing down the plant floor? At least until one of the pair, despite her friend’s objections, hatches a scheme to break the cycle, and have fun in the bargain. Includes bonus story: "The Man in the Gorilla Suit”.
Too Much Information About Joss Kaffee    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8350 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on September 23, 2012. .

The Check City Police had the facts in the Kaffee case. Somebody just needs to put them all together in order to make an arrest. A man willing to cut through the red tape, a man of action. A man willing to go to the source himself. How does one line cop on the edge close a case of Kafkaesque dimensions? Includes bonus story: "Stainless".
Stainless    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8350 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on September 23, 2012. .

A mysterious planet at the edge of a dying universe holds the key to an understanding of humanity's place in the cosmos -- or lack of it, in "Stainless." Includes bonus story: "Too Much Information About Joss Kaffee".
Ship of Salt    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 7330 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on September 23, 2012. .

Lot, the only good man in Sodom, follows the instructions of God's messengers the implicitly. His wife, to her detriment, does not. Now, alone with his surviving daughters in the wasteland beyond the Cities of the Plain, Lot encounters a remnant of the impossible. A sign of God's presence? Or a threat? Includes bonus story: "The Whited Child".
Temple City Strange: A Weird Western    by Michael Canfield
Price: $5.99 USD. 70240 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on August 11, 2012. .

Wyatt Quake - gambler, outlaw, lover, rascal - riding one step ahead of the gallows - finds a peculiar silver-mining town run by singular woman with a task that needs performing by such a man as he. Simple task really - steal the bejeweled skull guarding the local gates of Hell. Now devil hordes rise, and demon magic reigns in the desert. And a nice clean noose doesn't sound so bad, after all.
Voyage To The Cloud Planet    by Michael Canfield
Price: $5.99 USD. 51510 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on August 6, 2012. .

Ambitious Kiter Io’s posting to a daring diplomatic mission hosted by the race known as The Understanders represents his chance to join the new enlightenment era. When a suspicious disaster kills the rests of his delegation, Kiter faces an unknown world alone, yet still must fight to bring the vestiges of a once-great civilization spanning thousands of worlds out of darkness at last.
Blue City: A Novel    by Michael Canfield
Price: $5.99 USD. 60130 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on August 4, 2012. .

Recovering from a life-altering tragedy, Greg - bright, formerly-ambitious - has grown to accept life’s little curveballs. Then a mysterious, half-mad, figure crosses his path. The pair become inextricably bound, sending Greg on a nocturnal comic quest to recover something the madman has taken from him, something that truly does still matter - even if it means facing the phantoms of his past.
Fantasy Quartet    by Michael Canfield
Price: $4.99 USD. 28150 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 15, 2012. .

A happy-go-lucky traveler, a young village wife, a talented maker, and a harried modern family-man, in a quartet of light fantasy stories ranging from the medieval past, to the impossible present, and beyond. “Daniel of the Roads”, “The Woods Wife”, “Sweet Release”, and “The Way of the Skunk”. Four magical tales of yesterday, today, and of times to come.
Eleven Years    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8330 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 14, 2012. .

Unlike the rest of the world, astrophysicist Rachel Kirby passes on viewing the President's speech. She knows its message, she helped craft it. Instead, she makes a consciously bad decision, heading down to her local bar. What does it matter? Her work, her life, any of it? It doesn’t. Not unless she can make a change - not in her circumstances, but in herself. Includes bonus story: "Camerado."
Kank's Last Breath    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 6880 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 14, 2012. .

Great treasures can lie in the most prosiac of places...which only makes a true find all the more miraculous. When it comes to accquiring the rarest of treasures, this passionate collector will heed no boundries - not of time, nor expense, nor of ethics to get what he wants. Includes bonus story: "Once Upon A Time...At The Learning Annex."
Sweet Release    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8440 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 14, 2012. .

The ambition and talented maker, Hartpence, labors to deliver his creations into the world - only to find them lost in a miasma of noise. Now, with the help of Rene, his plucky partner, Hartpence hatches a plan that just might turn out crazy enough to work. If he can pull this off, his latest, greatest release might become the sweetest release of all. Includes bonus story: "The Story Boat."
A Question of Authorship    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8130 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 13, 2012. .

For Richard, retaining the intellectual property rights of his illustrious ancestor remains of paramount concern. Beset on all sides by forces that want to steal his copyright, only he stands ready to preserve the canon, and repel the barbarians that forever gather at his gates. Even if it means walling off his garden of masterpieces forever. Includes bonus story: “Time Flies At Elsinore.”
The Big Book of Lunar Firsts    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 7890 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 7, 2012. .

For Jack - an old space-jock always at odds with the settlement’s ever-expanding bureaucracy - another jaunt across the frontier, baby-sitting tourists, just goes to show how fouled-up the priorities of the Lunar colonies can get. Now against the stark beauty of his world, he makes a final stab at carving out a future worth living for. A Jack Hauser Moon Colonies short story.
K'f, Devoted    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8680 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 7, 2012. .

A young novice, in an orbiting monastery, holds the secret to his people’s survival.
Three Fantasy Short Novels    by Michael Canfield
Price: $7.99 USD. 50520 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 6, 2012. .

An ambitious and noble young queen, a rake lost in a strange seemingly idyllic world, a distance village with a peculiar secret. From a medieval kingdom to a forgotten land, and to secret world next door, come three short fantasy novels of mystery, magic, romance, and suspense: Little Plum, The Ambit, & Welcome to Luan.
Welcome To Luan: A Short Fantasy Novel    by Michael Canfield
Price: $3.99 USD. 11050 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 5, 2012. .

For an young surveyor, the Merchant Road merely represented a way to pass through to country. He certainly gave no thought to the denizens of Luan with their baskets of sour fruit. Then disaster strikes, and the surveyor finds himself left to die on the road. Now he will find that to survive, he will have to choose: accept the conditions the mysterious Luan place on him - or betray his own word.
Joy On Mudball    by Michael Canfield
Price: $3.99 USD. 11240 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 5, 2012. .

For the crew of a broken-down transport, the adventure of deep space poses one overwhelming challenge: boredom. At least until the crew find an ancient game buried in the ship’s logs. All’s well until the ship must set down on a hostile world. A wet blob aptly named Mudball. A world filled with inhabitants who share the crew’s passion for the game - but with one twist. They play to the death.
Oddball Invaders Special Edition: 5 Quirky Tales of Alien Conquest    by Michael Canfield
Price: $5.99 USD. 33520 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 4, 2012. .

An eerie glow in the desert. An aging musician trapped post-cataclysm. A gentleman with offer from another planet. A young scientist on a world in crisis. A traditional, yet deadly, game. 5 tales of rampaging giants, desperate world-saving gambits, Faustian bargains…and little green men: Attack of the 50 Ft. Cosmonaut, Mr. Drayo’s Visit, The Oldies Progression, Send Our Love, and Joy On Mudball.
Little Plum    by Michael Canfield
Price: $4.99 USD. 27710 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 4, 2012. .

The young and clever queen has a job to do. She must conceive an heir. But will her husband, the aging king, live long enough to do his part? When a mysterious stranger arrives at court claiming great knowledge and pledging great loyalty, the queen find a possible solution. But can she she trust him? Dare she? A tale of magic, of court intrigue, and of the people it touches.
The Ambit: A Short Novel    by Michael Canfield
Price: $3.99 USD. 11720 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 3, 2012. .

Arn Stanhope had a good career and a carefree life of serial monogamy. But once a cataclysmic event thrusts him into a different world from which escape seems impossible, Arn must find new ways to survive. Just as he begins to believe he understands this, a darker threat emerges. One that endangers everyone he knows, forcing him to question his place in this new world - in any world.
Aliens: 5 Science Fiction Stories    by Michael Canfield
Price: $4.99 USD. 20390 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 2, 2012. .

From inner to outer space, from the day-after-tomorrow to the end of time and beyond, come five possible futures: An Alien Zoo Story, Stainless, Ki'f, Devoted, Camerado, and The Soft Invasions. NOTE: These stories are also included in the longer collection: US AND...THEM.
Future People: 5 Science Fiction Stories    by Michael Canfield
Price: $4.99 USD. 26360 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 2, 2012. .

Here are five possible futures dealing with the fears - and the hopes - of the human race: Whatever Happened to NinjaBaby?, Joe A. Clone, The Van Winkle Attempt, Eleven Years, The Big Book of Lunar Firsts. These stories are also included in the longer collection: US AND...THEM.
Us and Them: 10 Science Fiction Stories    by Michael Canfield
Price: $6.99 USD. 45770 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on July 1, 2012. .

From inner to outer space, from the day-after-tomorrow to the singularity, and beyond, come ten possible futures: Whatever Happened to NinjaBaby?, Joe A. Clone, The Van Winkle Attempt, Eleven Years, The Big Book of Lunar Firsts, An Alien Zoo Story, Stainless, Ki'f, Devoted, Camerado, and The Soft Invasions. This edition combines stories from two shorter collections: ALIENS and FUTURE PEOPLE.
Daniel of the Roads    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 7720 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on June 30, 2012. .

Everyone knew Daniel, and everyone helped him. But. as shunned as Daniel is accepted, Helen finds travel on the roads that run between the ten towns quite a harrowing journey indeed. Hated, reviled, spat on, left to starve, she has no future beyond isolation and oblivion, unless Daniel can make the people of the ten towns show mercy toward her. But can he?
Bad People    by Evan Cobb
Price: $3.99 USD. 110910 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on March 8, 2012. .

After a home invasion ends with her husband’s murder, Connie imagines the worst that can happen—already has. Then Connie discovers that her husband kept some dark secrets. Nor is everyone in her new world who he pretends to be. Connie must question everything she knows. Everything except this: murder was just the beginning.
The Common Knight & Other Dark Fantasies    by Michael Canfield
Price: $4.99 USD. 20140 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on February 28, 2012. .

Four tales (three stories and a short novel) set on the dark side of the fantastic. The Common Knight. The Story Boat. The Whited Child. Citadel Ninety-Nine. Includes bonus story: Transportation Technology.
Send Our Love    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 9100 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on February 26, 2012. .

On a dying world, one woman has the courage to risk her reputation–and her life–in a last desperate attempt to save it. To succeed she will challenge religious and scientific orthodoxy and do what no one has dared : go to the surface. There, before she can begin to solve her world's crisis, she'll face a challenge never imagined: other people. Includes bonus sci-fi story: "The Oldies Progression."
Mr. Drayo's Visit    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8420 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on February 26, 2012. .

Folk considered Andy a hero–not to mention the luckiest man alive–after he survives a terrible ordeal. At least that's the way that the TV people choose to describe him. Andy won’t argue, especially when they pay cash for interviews. But when a mysterious visitor arrives at Andy’s trailer with a last…rather peculiar…offer, who will make out better in this once-in-a-lifetime deal? With bonus story.
An Alien Zoo Story    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8420 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on February 26, 2012. .

Matt Cady, Mercury astronaut, lives his life expecting the unexpected. But finding himself on display in an alien zoo strains even his ability to adapt to circumstances. At least he has another Earthling for companionship: a retriever named Golden Boy. Now the aliens want more from Cady than to study him under glass–they want his help. And by helping them, Major Cady might even help himself.
Oddball Invaders: 4 Quirky Tales of Alien Conquest    by Michael Canfield
Price: $4.99 USD. 22530 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on February 24, 2012. .

A mysterious green glow in the desert. An aging musician trapped after a cataclysmic event. A gentleman, and an offer, from another planet. A young scientist on a alien world in crisis. Four stories of rampaging giants, desperate attempts to save the world, Faustian bargains…and little green men: Attack of the 50 Ft. Cosmonaut, Mr. Drayo's Visit, The Oldies Progression, and Send Our Love.
Pain Thieves: A Novel of Horror    by Michael Canfield
Price: $5.99 USD. 55460 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on February 19, 2012. .

For Henry, who flushes success away at each turn, the Hotel Stephen Crane–shambling Gothic edifice in an aging city–means a chance to get clean. For damaged young artist, Bryn, it offers a first start. Yet, after death takes an innocent, a curse seems to envelop their world. A malevolence rises–one more irresistible than an addiction, one unlike anything Henry or Bryn has ever faced before.
The Oldies Progression    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 9100 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on February 5, 2012. .

Papa Cranberry sits in the attic listening to jazz and the blues, wondering if the family’s up and left him behind. But if the family has moved out, who has moved in? Somebody’s messing around din the kitchen downstairs, that’s for sure. And what about the laser lights shooting across the sky? Bonus: This edition also includes a complete bonus sci-fi story: "Send Our Love."
Eleven: Science Fiction Stories    by Michael Canfield
Price: $6.99 USD. 46580 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on February 5, 2012. .

This edition combines all the stories in the two shorter collections: APOCALYPSE X 7 and SCIFIDARK. The Language of Monsters, Landing Day, The Mushroom King, Cure!, Hour of the Snowflake, Wednesday, Think of a Pink Ship, Facts About Gel, The Crossing, A Flavor of Quark, and Junk Silver.
Apocalypse x 7: Offbeat Doomsday Stories    by Michael Canfield
Price: $4.99 USD. 22390 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on February 5, 2012. .

Seven startling versions of the world ending - one for every day of the week: Hour of the Snowflake, Wednesday, Think of a Pink Ship, Facts About Gel, The Crossing, A Flavor of Quark, & Junk Silver.
Horror Quartet: Dark Forces & Waking Nightmares    by Michael Canfield
Price: $4.99 USD. 22840 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on January 29, 2012. .

A mysterious, impenetrable house, a strange birthday gift, a cursed book, and a vast wine cellar holding an ancient, terrible secret: “Solid House”, “The Food Processor”, “The Book of Thomas Welte”, and “Stairwell to Hell”. Four chilling tales of dark forces and waking nightmares.
Stairwell To Hell    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 7470 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on January 28, 2012. .

When his uncle dies, Bellamy looks forward to a simple life collecting rent in the slum building he inherits, and drinking himself into oblivion by way of his relative’s vast wine collection. The tenement itself seems to have other plans, however, and Bellamy finds himself drawn to a dark world and its terrible secret—a secret that destroyed his uncle, and threatens to annihilate Bellamy too.
Namless Man    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 10690 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on January 27, 2012. .

A happy, successful, family man finds himself facing the ultimate test when he loses the most important thing he has. This edition also contains three surreal bonus stories: “The Style Intruder”, “Junk Sliver”, "The Seventeenth of Septober" and also a extended 3 chapter sample from the novel "Growing Up Zombie."
The Book of Thomas Welte    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 7250 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on January 27, 2012. .

Thomas Welte believes himself master of his destiny. He only requires the time and inspiration to make his mark in the world. When Thomas discover a mysterious green book with uncanny, self-transforming pages, he faces the chilling prospect that the work he values above all else may not be HIS at all. And if not -- can Thomas ever learn who created it? Or if it -- and he -- truly even exist?
Exhibit A    by Evan Cobb
Price: $3.99 USD. 40160 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on December 16, 2011. .

Carlo loves his great life. His best friend, Buddy Wu, knows all the hotspots. Gambling, drinking, drugs, girls, and every other kind of way to live well. Buddy even introduces him to Lise Sand, the woman of his dreams. But when someone within this close circle turns up dead, Carlo’s world spins off its axis. Now he must find a way to set everything right. Even if it costs him everything he has.
The Seventeenth of Septober    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 10700 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on December 11, 2011. .

What’s more important, the schedule or the scheduler? Who really runs the office anyway? The staff need the schedule, but the scheduler needs a signature. By the way, the men and women around the big scary conference table need new ideas. From somewhere. Anywhere. Bonus: The edition contains three bonus flash fiction stories. “The Nameless Man”, “Junk Silver”, & “The Style Intruder”.
Sci-Fi Dark    by Michael Canfield
Price: $4.99 USD. 24450 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on December 10, 2011. .

From far-flung worlds to just-around-the-corner nightmares—four science fiction excursions on the dark side: The Language of Monsters, Landing Day, The Mushroom King, & Cure! Aliens, thugs, spies, and super-flu. Approximately 25,000 words of gripping, hardboiled, science fiction.
The Woods Wife    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 9000 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on December 7, 2011. .

Giselle has no cause to question her life. She works, her husband works. They have no real understanding of each other, but how many wives and husbands do? No, Giselle has no cause to question life, until a mysterious being appears at the forest’s edge, beckoning her. Now Giselle will have to choose ignorant bliss or taking a chance on herself. Includes bonus story: "Peas and Carrots."
The Man In The Gorilla Suit    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8030 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on December 7, 2011. .

Swing shift on the warehouse packing line. Dull. Repetitive. Boring. Until the man in the gorilla suit shows up. Then everybody’s happy. Everybody’s working. ... For now. Includes bonus story: "The Daylight Singles Mixer".
The Van Winkle Attempt    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 9170 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on December 2, 2011. .

Post-singularity, one makes of one's future what one can. Ossix choses well: holding an important job administering a popular bulletin board and maintaining membership in a thriving, if volatile, community. But what lies beyond the veil? In a world where engagement is everything, what happens when an entity chooses, despite the risks, to go to sleep? Includes bonus story: "The Doppler Effect".
The Story Boat    by Michael Canfield
Price: $2.99 USD. 8440 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on December 1, 2011. .

A small, unnamed, seaside town, far away in time and space, yet not so very different from our own. A man with a job to do. An endless, impossible job. A mysterious vessel that comes and goes bringing ... what exactly? A last glimmer of hope? A light through the fog of a darkening world? A story about stories, and the people who need them. Includes bonus story: “Sweet Release."
The Way of the Skunk: A Short Novel    by Michael Canfield
Price: $3.99 USD. 11460 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on November 21, 2011. .

An unexamined life suits Donald fine. At least until the day he collapses in the driveway, right between two matching Volvos. Now, everything must change. Mayhem and chaos (and a high-speed chase in stocking feet) lie in Donald’s future. The skunk Donald finds sitting on his chest sees to that. To keep the family together, he’ll learn a new way to live. The skunk's way.
Friday Nights at the Caravan Motel    by Evan Cobb
Price: $1.99 USD. 6040 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on October 23, 2011. .

The people who once believed he really worked for them decide to fix Cole up good. They know he has unexpected resources, but even he can't shoot or talk his way out of solid concrete. Maybe. But Cole doesn't give up easy. And what about the girl? A liability–or the key to the whole fatal puzzle? Thugs, guns, beauty, and death: just another night at the Caravan Motel off US 95, the late 1950's.
Perfect Likeness    by Evan Cobb
Price: $3.99 USD. 80650 words. Published by Vauk House Press  on October 22, 2011. .

Even before Turner met Carmen, he doubted he could mask his dark obsessions beneath a quiet exterior much longer. Carmen: young, bold, breathtaking. Turner can't say he's never met a woman like her before; because he has. Years ago. Carmen has an obsession of her own, but she needs time. And money. Maybe she and Turner can help each other. All it takes is sex, betrayal, and murder.
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Smashwords book reviews by Vauk House Press

  • My Socks Rolled Down on Jan. 18, 2011
    star star star star
    Another winning story from this prolific writer. The premise here is quirky and engaging, an interesting variation on the genre that might be called "domestic magic." Maybe. It's a funny story that takes a clever and inevitable, though unexpected, turn. If you're tired of the same-old same-old in contemporary fantasy stories, check out this weird and wonderful little gem.