It was during a late-night conversation that the phrase "Release the Virgins" was spoken. Seemingly nonsensical, it stuck in our minds, and turned into a group project that would lead to an anthology.We brought the idea to a crowd-funding site, which interested enough people to provide the seed funding to turn this anthology into reality. We took that springboard, and gave eighteen talented authors the task of writing a great story with only one guideline: the story had to include the phrase "Release the Virgins."The results are surprisingly varied and creative: science fiction, fantasy, outright comedy, serious imaginings… in this anthology, you'll find Manhattan gangsters, sad superheroes, marathon-running aliens, teenage Cthulhu worshippers, ghost dinosaurs, computer hackers, and even a unicorn or two. And we think you'll agree: it's a good thing that phrase stuck in our minds.Featuring stories by: Nebula, Hugo, and Stoker Award-winner David Gerrold, Hugo Award-winners Allen M. Steele and Lawrence Watt-Evans, IAMTW Grandmaster Keith R.A. DeCandido, Skylark Award-winners Daniel M. Kimmel, Sharon Lee, and Steve Miller, WSFA Small Press Award-winner Alex Shvartsman, and Matt Becthel, Shariann Lewitt, Gordon Linzner, Gail Z. Martin, Jody Lynn Nye, Beth W. Patterson, Hildy Silverman, Patrick Thomas, Cecilia Tan, and Brian Trent."Release the Virgins is a hoot of an anthology! Fun, weird, and wildly entertaining!" -Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Deep Silence and V-Wars