Charity Anthology_ Midnight in the Renaissance Elevator- Spooky, Fiction, Fantasy, Short Stories, Charity Anthology
Independent
Sept 1, 2023
Kindle
472
Amazon
Do you like mechanical devices with personality? Sure, who doesn’t? How about when they hold your life in the palm of their hands? Hmm…less sure now, yes? Don’t worry, you’re gonna love this.
At an LGBTQ literary retreat in October of 2022, a group of authors met a particularly cantankerous elevator. Doors slamming open or closed for no apparent reason? Check. Scary noises, also for no apparent reason? Also, check. Were we concerned for our lives? Okay, listen…
This cranky elevator figured heavily into conversations for the next few days, many of which included expletives in a dozen languages, but eventually, it became a (somewhat) beloved mascot. Some people actually chose it over the other elevators!
The resulting mayhem is over twenty-five different author takes on the underlying story behind the elevator’s peculiar behavior. Possession? Poltergeists? Personified mechanical objects? Vampires?
All these unique stories come together in one volume: Midnight in the Renaissance Elevator. Join us as we attempt to explain the unexplainable, rationalize the unrationalizable, and give imagination free rein.
Reviewed by Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
This is a charity anthology and the proceeds from the sale of this book benefits groups providing support services to LGBTQ young people. I always choose to rate and talk about each story giving readers the opportunity of discovering authors they may not be familiar with.
Ride with the Wraith: Miski Harris – 5*****Stars
Lionel won big at poker but a big loser when they killed him. His husband David is at a convention at the Renaissance Hotel where the killers work and will meet justice.
The Hundred Year Curse: Adam J. Ridley – 5*****Stars
Luke has the hots for Colin Travers who comes to his rescue when he screamed in the elevator and who offers him a choice, life or death.
Gateway to the Forgotten Estate: Alexis Woods – 5*****Stars
Declan suffers from insomnia, going for ice he finds himself inside the elevator with a man who knows the answer to the sleepless nights.
Elevated Desires: Ana Phoenix – 5*****Stars
Ben and Alex meet each day in the elevator and each day Alex becomes totally tongue tied. Then Ben and Alex met at midnight, in the elevator and magic happened.
Somewhere Below the Basement: Angel Martinez – 5*****Stars
Jules who prefers they, them, their, then he/she is at a convention. They leave and take the elevator believed haunted. Orias is in the elevator, but he is going down and Jules goes along for the ride.
What Goes Up: Ari McKay – 5*****Stars
Grant Stevens found himself another victim of the haunted elevator. He found himself starring at a handsome man, Reg who takes Grant to a place mortals were not allowed.
The Thirteenth Floor: Belinda McBride – 5*****Stars
Denis Cadigan is at a hotel giving lectures on history and mythology. He decided to go for a drink and wound up in the Hell elevator with a woman named Artemis who invited him to a private party on Floor 13.
A Creak in the Night: BL Maxwell – 5*****Stars
James and his husband Dean are at the Renaissance Hotel. They are part of a group of ghost hunters and James had heard about the hotel’s haunted elevator.
Something Unholy: Charity Parkerson – 5*****Stars
Adam is an unhappy man who has just spent almost all his money to attend a weekend long book convention. Waiting for the elevator Michael appears, and he will give Adam a weekend to remember.
Midnight Tango: CJ Warrant – 5*****Stars
Miguel is the night security for the Renaissance Hotel, when he enters the demon elevator at midnight, he meets Simon, lights go out and leads to a kiss and tango but that is not the end.
Love in the Elevator: Drea Roman – 5*****Stars
A conference at the Renaissance Hotel is where Chad meets Scott in the Death elevator. The next time the two are in the Death Elevator the lights go out and they are stuck.
Out of Order: Eden Winters – 5*****Stars
This is such an adorable story that brought a smile to my face and made me laugh out loud. This is the story of the elevator and the tool belt he loves.
The Resident Imp: Duckie Mack – 5*****Stars
Dean is at the Renaissance Hotel running from someone out to do him bodily harm. In the elevator he meets Jakobah an imp. Dean wants more than friendship with Jakobah who can’t leave the elevator so Dean must find a way.
His Chance: Giovanna Reaves – 5*****Stars
Royce has loved his best friend Knox since college and now Knox is getting married. He never had the courage to confess his feelings and it would take courage and a little ghostly assistance to wake him up.
Bang: JS Harker – 5*****Stars
Jason and Victor meet up at a convention after breaking up five years ago. They both enter the creepy elevator where they finally face what happened between them.
Crash Into Me: J.K. Hogan – 5*****Stars
Naveen is autistic, and at a tech convention. Loud noises and crowds make him shake when he meets Radha in the elevator, they are both attracted to each other, but Radha has a secret.
Saved by the Bell: Kaje Harper – 5*****Stars
Mitchell and Kyle are at the hotel and While Mitchell napped Kyle found himself in the death elevator with a young man. This was a story about being gay and the fears young people face every day.
All the Way to the Top: Katherine Mcintyre – 5*****Stars
James has convinced his partner Cade to join him at midnight in the haunted elevator and sex. A new exciting memory but will the elevator help keep them alone or will it do its usual interfering.
Getting the Shaft: Kiernan Kelly – 5*****Stars
Nicholas has been cursed to live in the Renaissance Hotel forever. He is not dead but eternal. Clifford, the assistant manager, visits Nicholas often and has feelings for him. This is their story.
The Renaissance Incubus: Katy Manz – 5*****Stars
Tony has writer’s block; he overhears women talking about the Renaissance Hotel and the haunted elevator He books a room and just before midnight in gets in the elevator and gets more than he expected.
Take it to the Next Level: Lee Blair – 5*****Stars
Marcus and Cory made out at a college bar Cory hoped for more, but he had to leave. And now they find themselves staring at each other in the Hell elevator. Now at his best friend Alicia’s wedding he and Marcus may have another chance.
Stop Draggin’ My Heart Up and Down: Bix Barrow – 5*****Stars
We are back at Reese and Alicia’s wedding and just like what happened to Marcus and Cory it happens again with Doyle and Kurt. When they got together, they were both anxious and Cory ran. Kurt thought he did something wrong and wants answers.
Elevate Me: Beck Grey – 5*****Stars
Well, it seems that Alicia and her wife Reese have a lot of friends and have been instrumental in bringing them love. Rick is attending the wedding and is attracted to the elevator repair man Seb. Will they get a HEA.
Death Becomes Him: Pandora Pine – 5*****Stars
Jones is telling his story, and it is not a pretty one. Five years ago, the love of his life, Beau left him for another man. Beau was murdered in the Renaissance Hotel and Jones returns every year, gets in the haunted elevator and waits for Beau.
You’re Not There: R.L. Merrill – 5*****Stars
Brian is with the Naval Special War Unit in Guam; he has come back for his best friend’s retirement ceremony. In the elevator, tired, sweaty and hungry, he meets Cole and is instantly attracted to him but when the elevator reached his floor Cole was gone. He is obsessed with finding Cole again and is given advice by one of the writers attending The Queer Lit Extravaganza.
Hard: Reese Knightley – 5*****Stars
Caleb and his husband Wolf (code name) belong to a lethal and dangerous covert team called Phoenix and that has caused a problem in their marriage. Caleb is nineteen years younger than his husband and Wolf is overprotective.
The Bond Witch Chronicles: Remi Varlow – 5*****Stars
Benny has been repairing the hotel elevator for a long time with no success so extreme measures must be taken and that means calling Jazz a psychic. What happens in the elevator is exciting and a surprise.
Love is a Bumpy Ride: R.J. Pedersen
Kyle and Jon are invited to a Halloween Party at the Renaissance Hotel. The party is for the Trevor Project, a very worthy cause. They find themselves trying to avoid the ghost elevator, but it is hit and miss.
Going Down: Zile Elliven – 5*****Stars
Sage is a successful writer but is lacking in social skills. The other writers at the hotel welcomed him and he was able to finally let loose. He is a strange man but the strangest was him having feelings for the elevator and dressing up sexy to get its attention, which he did.
Twenty-nine authors gave their time to write stories for this anthology and each story was wonderful and different other than the Hell, spooky, deadly elevator. There was sex, surprises, and terror and it is a book that should not be missed for the cause and for the enjoyment.
LGBT/ANTHOLOGIES/COLLECTIONS
