TABLE OF CONTENTSPREFACE Frank McConnellMASQUERADE AND HIGH WATER Colin GreenlandCHAIN HOME, LOW John M. FordSTRONGER THAN DESIRE Lisa GoldsteinEACH DAMP THING Barbara HamblyTHE BIRTH DAY B. W. CloughSPLATTER Will ShetterlySEVEN NIGHTS IN SLUMBERLAND George Alec EffingerESCAPE ARTIST Caitlin R. KiernanAN EXTRA SMIDGEN OF ETERNITY Robert RodiTHE WRITER'S CHILD Tad WilliamsENDLESS SESTINA Lawrence SchimelTHE GATE OF GOLD Mark KreighbaumA BONE DRY PLACE Karen HaberTHE WITCH'S HEART Delia ShermanTHE MENDER OF BROKEN DREAMS Nancy A. CollinsAIN'T YOU 'MOST DONE? Gene WolfeVALOSAG AND ELET Steven BrustSTOPP'T-CLOCK YARD Susanna ClarkeAFTERWORD: DEATH Tori AmosBIOGRAPHICAL NOTES