What would you be willing to pay to live the life you've always wanted? Would you sacrifice a stranger for that pleasure? Would you be willing to do iWhat would you be willing to pay to live the life you've always wanted? Would you sacrifice a stranger for that pleasure? Would you be willing to do it again and again, knowing that one day you might be the one someone else is willing to sacrifice? That's one of the many questions that Michael Boulerice grapples with in FEEDING THE WHEEL. It's a quick read, replete with cosmic horror and a deep look at codependency, manipulation, and the cycle of abuse. Don't miss out on the bonus story LORD OF DOORS, either. There's a lot going on under the surface in these quick-paced, pulpy reads. Boulerice is a writer to keep an eye on. ...more
Hazel Drew was a good girl. The tabloids at the time decried her as living a double life, being a sex worker, and even getting an illegal abortion. JeHazel Drew was a good girl. The tabloids at the time decried her as living a double life, being a sex worker, and even getting an illegal abortion. Jerry Drake has thoroughly disproven those claims, as well as the patently absurd notion that she caused the fatal blow to the back of the head that killed her in a despondent suicidal haze. No, Hazel was a good girl. While the sensationalistic stories were the inspiration behind Twin Peaks and the national fervor to discover who killed Laura Palmer, the story of what happened to Hazel Drew all those years ago is in some ways stranger. Did Drake solve the mystery? He makes a damn fine case for who he thinks did it. Give the book a shot, and share your thoughts. A lot of people out there knew something, and someone out there likely has the smoking gun in a trunk in their attic to this day - just waiting to be found.
Full review and interview with the author forthcoming....more
HAIR SHIRT is Adrian Sobol's second poetry collection, and the first of his that I have had the pleasure of reading. The cover alone is a delight, espHAIR SHIRT is Adrian Sobol's second poetry collection, and the first of his that I have had the pleasure of reading. The cover alone is a delight, especially if you take the time to read the Gatefold poem before you dive into the collection itself. That first poem sets the tone well, and allows you a glimpse of what is to come. Funny and reflective, these poems are unexpected delights that are sure to turn your world - for a brief moment - upon its head.
Within these pages you will find poems on such varied topics as Weiner Dogs, Daniel Radcliffe, The Sea, and Tom Cruise running in his various movies. You'll find considerations about Brunch, indestructible donkeys, and loud people at parties. I've never read anyone quite like Sobol before, and after having read HAIR SHIRT, I know that I badly wish to read everything else he releases.
Poetry is often an underappreciated medium, and many seem reluctant to give it a read as a result. Whatever you think poetry might be, HAIR SHIRT is guaranteed to offer you some surprises - as well as a new poem that will stick with you far longer than it has any right to.
After all, as the first poem "that joke isn't funny anymore" puts it:
A young woman is reassured by her grandmother: as long as the glass pet remains alive the wolf won't be able to get inside the house and gobble them uA young woman is reassured by her grandmother: as long as the glass pet remains alive the wolf won't be able to get inside the house and gobble them up. A starving woman finds a large toe suspended in a massive glass cabbage. A glass book tantalizes a bookstore employee. Celebrities, both living and dead, appear to be suspended beneath the floor in glass coffins. A glass apple might be a gift from God, but can it be trusted?
Ivy Grimes explores the nature of glass in the seventeen stories that grace the pages of GLASS STORIES (Grimscribe Press, 2024). The stories range from the horrifying to the humorous, but all possess an irresistible absurdist quality. Grimes's skilled composition forces the reader to take even the most absurdist elements seriously. Her writing captures the liminal quality of glass itself – present and yet not – that caused earlier societies to view the material as an alchemical marvel.
Of particular note is the story “Glass Piano,” dedicated to Princess Alexandra of Bavaria who suffered from the historically prevalent Glass Delusion. The story is beautiful and poetic, a short snapshot of what inherent fragility can compel a person to do. “Glass Cabbage” would also be of interest to anyone with an eye for folklore, although in truth so would “Glass Pet” and many other stories within this collection.
GLASS STORIES is a collection that will be cherished by fans of magical realism storytellers like Kelly Link, Jonathan Carroll, and Haruki Murakami. These seventeen stories, many original to the collection, build off of the reputation for quality weird fiction that Grimes has already sculpted over the past few years within the horror community....more
Arcades were the beating heart of 80s culture. Hours could be spent feeding quarters into the machines there. Reputations were made and broken based oArcades were the beating heart of 80s culture. Hours could be spent feeding quarters into the machines there. Reputations were made and broken based on high scores. What if the hours spent in front of those machines wasn't something that the teens and children chose? What if the addictive nature of the video games was something built into the games themselves? Following that, what if the addiction was something that could turn deadly?
Polybius was the first addictive video game. The urban legend goes like this: a mysterious game shows up in a handful of arcades near Portland Oregon in the 80s. The game, Polybius, is like nothing anyone has ever seen before. The graphics are too complicated, even though the gameplay is relatively simple. The game is addictive. People can't play enough of it, even though it causes migraines, memory loss, and other detrimental effects. It's a great urban legend, and one that Cat De Spira has proven has its basis in a surprising amount of facts. Collin Armstrong takes these basics and spins them out into a deliciously tense, violent pulp tale.
Our main character is Andi - a young girl with a knack for engineering who wants to be a video game developer. She works at the arcade in Tasker Bay when Polybius is delivered there. When the violence starts to happen she begins to put the pieces together with the help of Ro - her classmate who is in a bit over his head with all of this. His dad is the local cop though, which might give Andi and Ro the edge they need to make a difference before things spiral too horrifically out of control. Right?
Armstrong constructs the perfect sleepy little Oregon town only to absolutely demolish it all in the most horrific ways possible. He has a knack for action scenes, and is excellent at ramping up the tension bit by bit until you don't think you can take any more - only for it to explode like a blast of shotgun shells. This book is exactly the sort of thing you can imagine reading under the covers by flashlight long after you should've gone to bed. Think Goosebumps for a decidedly more adult audience - there's no slime here, but plenty of blood, after all.
Polybius will keep you up at night, and might just make you want to start reading it over again once you finish it. It's just that much fun. It's an urban legend with teeth, and it lends itself well to the cinematic flair and pulpy fun that Armstrong brings to the table. Can't wait to see what Armstrong does next....more
Would you sacrifice everything so that your community could continue to thrive? Would you risk a fate worse than death for them? What about madness? AWould you sacrifice everything so that your community could continue to thrive? Would you risk a fate worse than death for them? What about madness? And would you do it even if the religious leader of your community was someone whom you knew you couldn't trust? These are just the beginning of Eseld’s questions to herself. If she wouldn't risk it all for her community – what about for the life of her sister?
Alexandra Beaumont's DISSONANCE OF BIRDSONG (Brigid's Gate, 2024) is a unique blend of poeticism and folk horror that she has become known for in the UK. A lifelong fan of the Gothic, she often cleverly weaves these themes and tropes within her narratives. Her work can be deeply personal, combining exciting narratives with thoughtful perspectives on the social issues of the day.
DISSONANCE OF BIRDSONG takes place in a mythical version of ancient Cornwall, and as with all good Gothic narratives the very landscape of Kernow becomes a character within the narrative. Reading this book, you will be hard-pressed not to feel the salt spray chill your skin, reel from the ebb of the waves, or sense harsh rock faces beneath your feet. An exciting plot steeped in folklore contrasts the decidedly Gothic setting.
Eseld is part of a community living on the shores of ancient Cornwall whose very existence is intertwined with a local population of birds. The birds migrate to the shores to breed each year, giving up their Myst to the person to which they've bonded, in exchange for safekeeping until the young have hatched and are old enough to fly away once more. Only now, the birds have been dying, with fewer returning each year. To lose your bird is to succumb to madness and eventual death. Eseld's bird has fallen ill, and she needs to find the cure.
Eseld's journey is a harrowing one, interlaced with folklore that will thrill readers of all ages. It takes her deep beneath the waves, and to far distant shores, interspersed with song. Eseld is a compelling heroine, disabled and determined, and her story is inspirational without ever being cloying. DISSONANCE OF BIRDSONG is an exciting adventure that heralds a new kind of fantasy sure to appeal to young adult readers and general audiences alike....more
There is a small place outside of the Twin Cities in Minnesota called Anoka that has been dubbed “The Halloween Capital of the World.” Why is Anoka thThere is a small place outside of the Twin Cities in Minnesota called Anoka that has been dubbed “The Halloween Capital of the World.” Why is Anoka the Halloween Capital of the World, you might ask? It’s the Halloween Parade, an annual event that has been going on for over a century. It began as a way to keep the children out of trouble on that night of mischief, but has now expanded into a spectacle that attracts thousands of viewers every year. Being the Halloween Capital of the World distinguishes Anoka as a town that straddles both the living and the dead. The very name of the town itself is derived from two Indigenous languages - “a-no-ka-tan-han” in Dakota meaning two sides of the river, and “on-o-kay” in Objibwa meaning working waters. Anoka is two things at once and this, combined with some personal history, drew Shane Hawk to use it as the location for his first short story collection.
ANOKA (Black Hills Press, 2020) is the first short story collection by the author Shane Hawk. Shane Hawk is an enrolled Cheyenne and Arapaho and his stories are deeply rooted in the history and folklore of the indigenous nations as well as the local folklore of place. While writing Anoka, Hawk spent a good deal of time researching the history of the city itself along with that of the peoples who lived there.
ANOKA consists of six short stories, all taking place within the city. The stories run the gamut from traditional tales of cursed books and lycanthropy to more grounded tales of grief and loss. Throughout it all Hawk draws upon the folklore of Anoka, as well as indigenous belief. Hawk remains mindful of the fact that no two tribes are the same, but instead relies upon the reality of post 1492 existence that permeates the life of all indigenous people here in the United States. The result is effective, and staggering. The back-matter of the book explains the inspiration and thoughts that went into each story, and is an insightful look into history and the emotional depth that Hawk brings to his craft.
ANOKA is a wonderful first short story collection. It is a small enough book to easily fit within your pocket, and the stories within are varied enough that inevitably every reader will find at least one that is particularly hair-raising for any given mood. Hawk is a writer to watch with a gift for incorporating history and folklore into his tales that evoke a strong emotional response from his readers....more
Hilary "Fox"
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