***
WHEN THE SUN ROSE on the north side of town, they were still raking through the ashes when the three of us southsiders finished packing.
Sometimes all it takes is a whisper in your ear to tell you it’s time to move on, that your future lies down a road you won’t recognize until you’re on it. Other times, it takes a fire under your ass. Maybe we’d all three been hearing the whisper for a while, and ignored it until the heat came.
We picked up Sheena last, because the logistics made sense that way. Then we stood around outside under the sky and the wet, heavy trees, the world so quiet we could hear the rushing of the brown river water a block away.
“If I never smell mud and wood rot again, or feel some drunk’s hand trying to get up my skirt, it’ll still be too soon,” Sheena said, then got in the car while Maddox and I hung back to wrap things up out here.
We looked down into the trunk. Maddox had rigged the portable TV to an aerial on the car, and we had lots of batteries, so it seemed like the arrangement would do for now.
“You hear about this new thing they’re coming up with in Japan?” he said. “It’s called a VCR. Video Cassette Recorder. Anything you want to see, anytime, anywhere, it’ll be on the tape. You just load it in and press play.”
“Wow. He’ll like that.” The existence of such ingenuity made me smile. “Go on, get the motor started, I’ll finish up.”
If, back in our drive-in sneaking days, the Dodge’s trunk could’ve held four of Hazel and me, it meant Erik had all the room he could ever need. I reached up and took hold of the trunk lid.
“Do you need anything else before we get going?” I asked him.
He didn’t answer, didn’t even look at me, just smiled a slow, hazy smile, like he’d heard me from somewhere down by the river. He was good. He had everything he needed.
Just before I shut the lid on him and the blue glow, I looked around to make sure nobody was watching, then popped a couple growths as big as drawer knobs off his forehead and gobbled them down quick as I could.
We were somewhere around the county line on the edge of tomorrow when the shrooms began to take hold. Link Wray was tearing it up on the speakers and Maddox was drumming on the steering wheel and Sheena’s hair was streaming in the wind and I couldn’t believe how my hips were wanting to move.
How ’bout that Erik? Somewhere into the mix he’d thrown an Elvis movie or two. And the road ahead may have been winding, but for a kid with a lazy eye, I was seeing straighter than ever.
* * *
Called “a writer of spectacularly unflinching gifts” by no less than Peter Straub, BRIAN HODGE is one of those people who always has to be making something. So far, he’s made thirteen novels, around 130 shorter works, five full-length collections, and one soundtrack album. His novella, “The Same Deep Waters as You,” was recently optioned by a London-based production company for development as a TV series.
He lives in Colorado, where he also likes to make music and photographs; loves everything about organic gardening except the thieving squirrels; and trains in Krav Maga and kickboxing, which are of no use at all against the squirrels.
Connect through his web site (www.brianhodge.net), Twitter (@BHodgeAuthor), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/brianhodgewriter).
EDITOR’S REQUEST
* * *
DEAR READER, FAN, OR SUPPORTER,
It’s a dreadful commentary that the worth of indie publications is measured by online 5-star reviews, but such is the state of current commerce.
Should you have enjoyed this book, gratitude is most appreciated by posting a brief and honest online review at Amazon.com, Goodreads.com, and/or a highly-visible blog.
With sincerest thanks,
Eric J. Guignard, editor
Pop the Clutch: Thrilling Tales of Rockabilly, Monsters, and Hot Rod Horror
ALSO FROM ERIC J. GUIGNARD AND DARK MOON BOOKS:
A World of Horror
Every nation of the globe has unique tales to tell, whispers that settle in through the land, creatures or superstitions that enliven the night, but rarely do readers get to experience such a diversity of these voices in one place as in A WORLD OF HORROR, the latest anthology book created by award-winning editor Eric J. Guignard, and beautifully illustrated by artist Steve Lines.
Enclosed within its pages are twenty-two all-new dark and speculative fiction stories written by authors from around the world that explore the myths and monsters, fables and fears of their homelands.
Encounter the haunting things that stalk those radioactive forests outside Chernobyl in Ukraine; sample the curious dishes one may eat in Canada; beware the veldt monster that mirrors yourself in Uganda; or simply battle mountain trolls alongside Alfred Nobel in Sweden. These stories and more are found within A World of Horror: Enter and discover, truly, there’s no place on the planet devoid of frights, thrills, and wondrous imagination.
“This breath of fresh air for horror readers shows the limitless possibilities of the genre.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This is the book we need right now!”
—Becky Spratford; librarian, reviewer, RA for All: Horror
“A fresh collection of horror authors exploring monsters and myths from their homelands.”
—Library Journal
Order your copy at www.darkmoonbooks.com or www.amazon.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9989383-1-8
ALSO FROM ERIC J. GUIGNARD AND DARK MOON BOOKS:
Darkness exists everywhere, and in no place greater than those where spirits and curses still reside. In DARK TALES OF LOST CIVILIZATIONS, you will unearth an anthology of twenty-five previously unpublished horror and speculative fiction stories, relating to aspects of civilizations that are crumbling, forgotten, rediscovered, or perhaps merely spoken about in great and fearful whispers.
What is it that lures explorers to distant lands where none have returned? Where is Genghis Khan buried? What happened to Atlantis? Who will displace mankind on Earth? What laments have the Witches of Oz? Answers to these mysteries and other tales are presented within this critically acclaimed anthology.
Including stories by: Joe R. Lansdale, David Tallerman, Jonathan Vos Post, Jamie Lackey, Aaron J. French, and twenty exceptional others.
“The stories range from mildly disturbing to downright terrifying . . . Most are written in a conservative, suggestive style, relying on the reader’s own imagination to take the plunge from speculation to horror.”
—Monster Librarian Reviews
“Several of these stories made it on to my best of the year shortlist, and the book itself is now on the best anthologies of the year shortlist.”
—British Fantasy Society
“Almost any story in this anthology is worth the price of purchase. The entire collection is a delight.”
—Black Gate Magazine
Order your copy at www.darkmoonbooks.com or www.amazon.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9834335-9-0
ALSO FROM ERIC J. GUIGNARD AND DARK MOON BOOKS:
Death. Who has not considered their own mortality and wondered at what awaits, once our frail human shell expires? What occurs after the heart stops beating, after the last breath is drawn, after life as we know it terminates?
Does our spirit remain on Earth while the body rots? Do the remnants of our soul transcend to a celestial Heaven or sink to Hell’s torment? Can we choose our own afterlife? Can we die again in the hereafter? Are we given the opportunity to reincarnate and do it all over? Is life merely a cosmic joke or is it an experiment for something greater? Enclosed in this Bram Stoker-award winning anthology are thirty-four all-new dark and speculative fiction stories exploring the possibilities AFTER DEATH . . .
Illustrated by Audra Phillips and including stories by: Steve Rasnic Tem, Bentley Little, John Langan, Lisa Morton, and exceptional others.
“Though the majority of the pieces come from the darker side of the genre, a solid minority are playful, clev
er, or full of wonder. This strong anthology is sure to make readers contemplative even while it creates nightmares.”
—Publishers Weekly
“In Eric J. Guignard’s latest anthology he gathers some of the biggest and most talented authors on the planet to give us their take on this entertaining and perplexing subject matter . . . highly recommended.”
—Famous Monsters of Filmland
“An excellent collection of imaginative tales of what waits beyond the veil.”
—Amazing Stories Magazine
Order your copy at www.darkmoonbooks.com or www.amazon.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9885569-2-8
ALSO FROM ERIC J. GUIGNARD AND DARK MOON BOOKS:
The Five Senses of Horror
Hearing, sight, touch, smell, and taste: Our impressions of the world are formed by our five senses, and so too are our fears, our imaginations, and our captivation in reading fiction stories that embrace these senses.
Whether hearing the song of infernal caverns, tasting the erotic kiss of treachery, or smelling the lush fragrance of a fiend, enclosed within this anthology are fifteen horror and dark fantasy tales that will quicken the beat of fear, sweeten the flavor of wonder, sharpen the spike of thrills, and otherwise brighten the marvel of storytelling that is found resonant!
Editor Eric J. Guignard and psychologist Jessica Bayliss, PhD also include companion discourse throughout, offering academic and literary insight as well as psychological commentary examining the physiology of our senses, why each of our senses are engaged by dark fiction stories, and how it all inspires writers to continually churn out ideas in uncommon and invigorating ways.
Featuring stunning interior illustrations by Nils Bross, and including fiction short stories by such world-renowned authors as John Farris, Ramsey Campbell, Poppy Z. Brite, Darrell Schweitzer, Lisa Morton, and Richard Christian Matheson, amongst others.
Intended for readers, writers, and students alike, explore THE FIVE SENSES OF HORROR!
Order your copy at www.darkmoonbooks.com or www.amazon.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9988275-0-6
ALSO FROM ERIC J. GUIGNARD AND DARK MOON BOOKS:
Exploring Dark Short Fiction #1:
A Primer to Steve Rasnic Tem
For over four decades, Steve Rasnic Tem has been an acclaimed author of horror, weird, and sentimental fiction. Hailed by Publishers Weekly as “A perfect balance between the bizarre and the straight-forward” and Library Journal as “One of the most distinctive voices in imaginative literature,” Steve Rasnic Tem has been read and cherished the world over for his affecting, genre-crossing tales.
Dark Moon Books and editor Eric J. Guignard bring you this introduction to his work, the first in a series of primers exploring modern masters of literary dark short fiction. Herein is a chance to discover—or learn more of—the rich voice of Steve Rasnic Tem, as beautifully illustrated by artist Michelle Prebich.
Included within these pages are:
Six short stories, one written exclusively for this book
Author interview
Complete bibliography
Academic commentary by Michael Arnzen, PhD (former humanities chair and professor of the year, Seton Hill University)
. . . and more!
Enter this doorway to the vast and fantastic: Get to know Steve Rasnic Tem.
Order your copy at www.darkmoonbooks.com or www.amazon.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9988275-2-0
ALSO FROM ERIC J. GUIGNARD AND DARK MOON BOOKS:
Exploring Dark Short Fiction #2:
A Primer to Kaaron Warren
Australian author Kaaron Warren is widely recognized as one of the leading writers today of speculative and dark short fiction. She’s published four novels, multiple novellas, and well over one hundred heart-rending tales of horror, science fiction, and beautiful fantasy, and is the first author ever to simultaneously win all three of Australia’s top speculative fiction writing awards (Ditmar, Shadows, and Aurealis awards for The Grief Hole).
Dark Moon Books and editor Eric J. Guignard bring you this introduction to her work, the second in a series of primers exploring modern masters of literary dark short fiction. Herein is a chance to discover—or learn more of—the distinct voice of Kaaron Warren, as beautifully illustrated by artist Michelle Prebich.
Included within these pages are:
Six short stories, one written exclusively for this book
Author interview
Complete bibliography
Academic commentary by Michael Arnzen, PhD (former humanities chair and professor of the year, Seton Hill University)
. . . and more!
Enter this doorway to the vast and fantastic: Get to know Kaaron Warren.
Order your copy at www.darkmoonbooks.com or www.amazon.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9989383-0-1
ALSO FROM ERIC J. GUIGNARD AND DARK MOON BOOKS:
Exploring Dark Short Fiction #3:
A Primer to Nisi Shawl
Praised by both literary journals and leading fiction magazines, Nisi Shawl is celebrated as an author whose works are lyrical and philosophical, speculative and far-ranging; “ . . . broad in ambition and deep in accomplishment” (The Seattle Times). Besides nearly three decades of creating fantasy and science fiction, fairy tales, and indigenous stories, Nisi has also been lauded as editor, journalist, and proponent of feminism, African-American fiction, and other pedagogical issues of diversity.
Dark Moon Books and editor Eric J. Guignard bring you this introduction to her work, the third in a series of primers exploring modern masters of literary dark short fiction. Herein is a chance to discover—or learn more of—the vibrant voice of Nisi Shawl, as beautifully illustrated by artist Michelle Prebich.
Included within these pages are:
Six short stories, one written exclusively for this book
Author interview
Complete bibliography
Academic commentary by Michael Arnzen, PhD (former humanities chair and professor of the year, Seton Hill University)
. . . and more!
Enter this doorway to the vast and fantastic: Get to know Nisi Shawl.
Order your copy at www.darkmoonbooks.com or www.amazon.com
ISBN-13: 978-0-9989383-4-9
THE CRIME FILES OF KATY GREEN BY GENE O’NEILL:
Discover why readers have been applauding this stark, fast-paced noir series by multiple-award-winning author, Gene O’Neill, and follow the dark murder mysteries of Sacramento homicide detectives Katy Green and Johnny Cato, dubbed by the press as Sacramento’s “Green Hornet and Cato”!
Book #1: DOUBLE JACK (a novella)
400-pound serial killer Jack Malenko has discovered the perfect cover: He dresses as a CalTrans worker and preys on female motorists in distress in full sight of passing traffic. How fast can Katy Green and Johnny Cato track him down before he strikes again?
ISBN-13: 978-0-9988275-6-8
Book #2: SHADOW OF THE DARK ANGEL
Bullied misfit, Samuel Kubiak, is visited by a dark guardian angel who helps Samuel gain just vengeance. There hasn’t been a case yet Katy and Johnny haven’t solved, but now how can they track a psychopathic suspect that comes and goes in the shadows?
ISBN-13: 978-0-9988275-8-2
Book #3: DEATHFLASH
Billy Williams can see the soul as it departs the body, and is “commanded to do the Lord’s work,” which he does fanatically, slaying drug addicts in San Francisco . . .Katy and Johnny investigate the case as junkies die all around, for Billy has his own addiction: the rush of viewing the Deathflash.
ISBN-13: 978-0-9988275-9-9
Order your copy at www.darkmoonbooks.com or www.amazon.com
ABOUT EDITOR ERIC J. GUIGNARD
* * *
ERIC J. GUIGNARD IS A writer and editor of dark and speculative fiction, operating from the shadowy outskirts of Los Angeles, where he also runs the small press, Dark Moon Books. He’s won the Bram Stoker Award (the highest litera
ry award of horror fiction), been a finalist for the International Thriller Writers Award, and a multi-nominee of the Pushcart Prize.
He has over 100 stories and non-fiction works appearing in publications such as Nightmare Magazine, Gamut, Black Static, Shock Totem, and Dark Discoveries Magazine. As editor, Eric’s published other anthologies such as Dark Tales of Lost Civilizations, After Death…, and A World of Horror, a showcase of international horror short fiction. Additionally he’s created an ongoing series of primers exploring modern masters of literary dark short fiction, titled: Exploring Dark Short Fiction (Vol. 1: Steve Rasnic Tem; Vol. II: Kaaron Warren; Vol. III: Nisi Shawl; Vol. IV: Jeffrey Ford; Vol. V: Han Song; Vol. VI: Ramsey Campbell).
Read his short story collection That Which Grows Wild: 16 Tales of Dark Fiction (Cemetery Dance Publications), novella Baggage of Eternal Night (JournalStone), and watch for forthcoming books, including the novel Crossbuck ’Bo.
Outside the glamorous and jet-setting world of indie fiction, Eric’s a technical writer and college professor, and he stumbles home each day to a wife, children, cats, and a terrarium filled with mischievous beetles. Visit Eric at: www.ericjguignard.com, his blog: ericjguignard.blogspot.com, or Twitter: @ericjguignard.
ABOUT ILLUSTRATOR STEVE CHANKS
* * *
Raised on a steady diet of Tom & Jerry, Star Wars, Freddy Krueger, and Marvel Comics since the late ’70s, STEVE CHANKS has distilled the very best of his distorted pop culture view into a big-titted, puss-filled, pulp daydream.
Pop the Clutch Page 32
