The Urban Green Man: An Archetype of Renewal from Hades Publications.

Here’s how the story begins:

When people ask me what I do, I usually lie and say I’m an insurance salesman.  If that doesn’t send them scurrying for another subject, I have a whole spiel about how they could save money by switching.  I even have business cards.  In the rare case someone actually calls me, I quote an outrageous price and I never hear from them again.

If I’m more inclined to tell the truth, I say I’m a private investigator.  People tend to find that a lot more interesting than insurance salesman.  If they ask for details, I tell them it’s mostly insurance fraud and divorce cases, pretty routine stuff. What I don’t tell them is that it would be more accurate to replace the word private with paranormal, and that my cases generally involve supernatural beings.

It’s still mostly insurance fraud and divorce cases.  You wouldn’t believe how many business fires are started by strapped-for-cash owners summoning fire elementals, or the number of old geezers who are tricked into marrying succubi.  So when a man and woman walked through my door wanting to find a missing person, it was a welcome break in the monotony.

My story “Cui Bono?” is now available in the anthology If you want to read the rest, buy the book, which is currently 10% off at Amazon.com.  Here’s what else you’ll find in the anthology:

INTRODUCTION

The Spirit of the Wild Wood by Charles deLint

EARTH

Evergreen by Susan MacGregor
The Gift by Susan Forest
Sap and Blood by Martin Rose
The Green Square by dvsduncan
Awake by Peter Storey
Breath Stirs in the Husk by Eileen Wiedbrauk
Green Apples by Rhiannon Held

AIR

The Grey Man by Randy McCharles
Mr. Green by Gary Budgen
Whithergreen by Karlene Tura Clark
Cui Bono? by Eric James Stone
Fallow God by Maaja Wentz
Green Man She Restless by Billie Milholland

FIRE

Purple Vine Flowers by Sandra Wickham
Exile by Mark Russell Reed
Without Blemish by Celeste A. Peters
Waking the Holly Kin Eileen Donaldson
Deer Feet by Michael J. DeLuca
Buried in the Green by Heather M. O’Connor
The Forest Lord by Sarina Dorie

WATER

Greentropy by Calie Voorhis
Abandon All… by Goldeen Ogawa
Green Salvage by Miriah Hetherington
The Ring of Life by Nu Yang
Cottage on the Bluff Michael Healy
Johnny Serious Satyros Phil Brucato
Fun Sucker by Suzanne Church

WOOD

Greener Pastures by Micheal J. Martineck
Green Jack by Alyxandra Harvey
Green is Good by Karen Danylak
Neither Slumber Nor Sleep by Kim Goldberg