Why did Elvis die after his final concert in Indianapolis? How exactly did Tomlinson Hall burn? What's up with the spooky House of Blue Lights? Are there really horrific monsters living underneath the Soldiers and Sailors Monument?

If you live in Indianapolis, you may have wondered. Even if you don't live in Indianapolis, you may believe another shocking truth: Creative writing is a great way for kids to express themselves, open their minds, and engage their worlds.

Here's the place where those interests collide. Mythic Indy is an anthology of weird stories set in Indianapolis that will benefit the programs of Second Story to introduce Indianapolis-area kids to creative writing. We have the stories. We have the kids. Now we need your help.

The 33 Mythic Indy stories were originally compiled by former Saturday Evening Post associate editor Corey Michael Dalton and published at Punchnels.com. Some are hilarious. Some are frightening. Some are moving. Each is written by one of Indiana's top contemporaries writers, including:

• Ben H. Winters, the author of several New York Times best-selling novels including Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters and The Last Policeman trilogy.
• Maurice Broaddus, who wrote an original story set in the world of his Knights of Breton Court novels specifically for the anthology.
• Sarah Layden, whose debut novel Trip Through Your Wires is currently receiving rave reviews from outlets like The Chicago Tribune.
• Clint Smith, author of Ghouljaw and Other Stories, whose short story “Dirt on Vicky” is slated for inclusion in the Best New Horror No. 26 anthology.
• Eliza Tudor, whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in Hobart, PANK, Annalemma, specs, Weave, and Paper Darts.
• Laura VanArendonk Baugh, best-selling and award-winning author of numerous stories and books including Kitsune-Tsuki, Smoke and Fears, and So to Honor Him.
• Annie Sullivan, a graduate of Butler’s MFA program whose novel manuscript, Goldilocks, won the Luminis Books Award at the Midwest Writers Workshop.
• Alex Mattingly, whose work has been published in numerous journals including PANK, Annalemma, Midwestern Gothic, and Flywheel.

(Other distinguished contributors include Jay Lesandrini, Hugh Vandivier, R. Wolf Baldassaro, Jim Thompson, Maggie Wheeler, Maria Cook, Austin Wilson, Zach Roth, Ryan Everett Felton, Robin Lovelace, Robert Morse, Virginia M. Sanders, Caroline Divish, Jason Roscoe, Ken Honeywell, David S. Chang, Jason de Koff, Dawn Fable, Carrie Gaffney, Kevin McKelvey, Traci Cumbay, Matt Jager, John Beeler, and Robin Beery.)

We’re aiming to publish this collection by late October or early November, 2015, when it would make a super holiday gift! Of course, we're also planning a big book launch event in Indy that will almost certainly feature its own measure of weirdnessl Stay tuned for that, too.

And remember: All proceeds from our book benefit Second Story, an Indianapolis-based not-for-profit that sponsors a variety of programs to help Hoosier kids of diverse racial and cultural backgrounds find joy in writing as they discover their voices, explore their world, and embrace a life of curiosity and self-expression. The volunteers at Second Story believe that writing is a basic skill that plays a crucial role in determining a person’s success in school and, later, on the job and in society. Oh, and that it’s just plain fun! Find out more about this worthwhile organization at secondstoryindy.org.