Do you like single author collections ? We do, partly because we rarely have time for full novels, partly because we have the attention span of a bee with anxiety problems who has just swallowed a load of amphetamines. And anyway, as we enter the last days of the Autumn Boy, the dread Winter King awakes! Which means it is the season for people to start recommending recent weird/horror collections, jostling for recognition, trying to get onto lists, and all that kettle of herrings…
Naturally, the Winter King has noticed that the Bram Stoker Award nominations are still open for a short while, and key editors will have started considering their ‘Best of…’ anthologies or articles. So today, dear listener, we bow to the inevitable, and mention what we literary scholars like to call “stuff we have noticed”, including a whole raft of suggestions from one of our guest reviewers, S L Edwards.
It’s been a jolly lively year, and there are many collections we haven’t had time to sample properly yet. In addition to Sam’s mini-reviews below, we also have in hand Andrew Freudenberg’s debut collection My Dead and Blackened Heart (Sinister Horror Company), awaiting Django’s attention. Good dog. Catherine Lundoff released Unfinished Business (Queen of Swords Press), which is on the pile to read, and Caitlin Kiernan delivered a massive selection from her Lovecraftian stories to date, Houses Under the Sea (Subterranean Press).
Then came On the Night Border (Raw Dog Screaming Press) from James Chambers, and Growing Things and Other Stories (Titan) by Paul Tremblay.
There’s Book Haven: And Other Curiosities by Mark Allan Gunnells (Crystal Lake), and Matt Bright has just had his Stories to Sing in the Dark published by Lethe Press… or how about The Night Doctor and Other Tales (Centipede Press) by Steve Rasnic Tem?
We’ll probably have to add to the list another day, but in the meantime, below we have details of a few more releases of 2019…
SIDE-NOTE: Having tragically lost Sam Gafford of Ulthar Press to a heart attack this year, it seems a shame we can’t re-recommend his excellent collection The Dreamer in Fire. But we can say that the last book he worked on, the unusual concept anthology Hell’s Empire, is a 2019 release which is eligible for listing and nominating, so please do recommend that around.
A Year of Songs and Wounds
2019 and Weird Fiction Collections – A Review
Howdy y’all, S. L. Edwards here. Many of you reading this are writers, and are all too familiar with the amount of anxiety that comes with having your work out there. To be sure, there are ups and downs. There is an instant sense of relief in seeing that people have your book, but a major sense of trepidation when even your close friends (who you trust to blunt their criticisms) start reading it.
Then there is a dread, panic and in my experience a bit of depression, when things go silent. Awards season is nearly upon us. And, if you know me, I’d like to think you know how important promoting other writers is to me. This year Gehenna and Hinnom Books released my debut short story collection, Whiskey and Other Unusual Ghosts. So, I made an effort to scrape and save so I could know who was in the trenches with me. In the process of learning about the short story collections released this year I was honored, surprised, humbled and excited. The best part about being a writer, in my experience, is the company you keep. In my case, it’s pretty damn good company.
This year has seen the publication of a few debut collections. Betty Rocksteady, who has been at the top of my collection wish list since forever, released In Dreams We Rot. Laura Mauro’s Sing Your Sadness Deep is one of the most impressive debuts I have read yet. There were also two very notable omnibus collections, Matt Cardin’s To Rouse Leviathan and Peter Rawlik’s Strange Company. On top of all of this, more familiar names such as Nathan Ballingrud, Paul Tremblay and Joe Hill also released new collections. 2019 then has been a very good year for weird fiction.
What follows is a list of collections I read this year and a commentary on them, sort of very mini-reviews. I’ve included two that I’ve received recently, Sarah Read’s Out of Water and Scott R. Jones’ Shout Kill Revel Repeat, both from JournalStone/Trepidatio Publishing. I am reading Sarah’s collection as we speak, as I continue to spend most of my day on Mexico City’s sprawling public transport system. I have also read many of the story’s in Scott’s collection, having been an admirer of his writing for some time now. Look out for fuller reviews from me of both.
This is not a complete list, so please do not feel wounded if your collection or another collection has not made an appearance. It is only that with a limited amount of time and money there is only so much I can do. Also, you may note that some of these works have not made their way to certain awards lists. Active members of relevant organizations should be encouraged to read these works, as should all horror readers in general.
With all of this said, here is 2019 in retrospect: a hell of a year.
1. Sefira and Other Betrayals by John Langan: I confess that John Langan is my favorite weird writer. There is John Langan, and then there is everyone else. This latest collection does not disappoint. In this collection, John has given us longer stories. “Sefira,” the titular novella, concerns succubi, the collapse of a marriage, hard women and bug demons. It is fun, gory, literary, thoughtful and tragic. The sort of story only Langan could give us. Other standouts (in my opinion) included the steampunk-esque “The Unbearable Proximity of Mr. Dunn’s Balloons” and “At Home in the House of the Devil.” Speaking of the devil…
2. To Rouse Leviathan by Matt Cardin. I first heard of Matt Cardin when Vastarien began coming together. Jon Padgett’s Secrets of Ventriloquism gave myself and other readers an opportunity to learn about one editor, and now we have this one. As with Jon, Matt Cardin certainly demonstrates that he is far more than a “Ligotti student” in this collection. Two things make this work unique, its length and its theme. Leviathan is an omnibus. Make no mistake. It includes two previously published collections and a new third. The other thing that is quite striking is how thoughtful, philosophical and analytical Cardin’s horror is. Much of it is textual analysis, in this case The Bible, and a recurring theme is that the gospel is a hidden truth in plain sight. That there is a darkness, an emptiness, just beneath the verses. Now, understandably, a few readers might dismiss this with little interest. I’ve met more than a few justified folk who simply don’t want to read anything having to do with angels or demons, fire or brimstone. The prose is here, the talent is here, and I promise you this work is hardly going to convert you. This is an enjoyable, comprehensive book and I urge you to spend time with it.
3. Sing Your Sadness Deep by Laura Mauro: This book made me have feelings. This book made a grown ass man sniffle on a cross-country flight. The offending story? “Looking for Laika,” concerning the Soviet launching of a dog into space for…reasons? But beyond this, Laika should be familiar to any older sibling or cousin who grew up with a desire to protect their younger sibling or relative. As someone who told stories themselves as a very young person, it definitely resonated with me. Remarkably, “Laika” does not fit into any one genre. It could easily be “realistic” or “fantasy” depending on your interpretation of events. Beyond this treasure of a story, Mauro demonstrates a Gaiman-esque ability to find comfort weaving multiple genres together. “The Pain-Eater’s Daughter” is another supernatural tale of intimate family secrets, and “In the Marrow” is another heart-rending story about childhood illness and changelings. You can’t miss this one. You just can’t (covered in more depth here: http://greydogtales.com/blog/laura-mauro-sacrifice-and-transformation/
4. In Dreams We Rot by Betty Rocksteady: We finally have a Rocksteady collection! We’ve got it! And it does not disappoint. Betty’s writing can be summarized with the three B’s: Bugs, Botany, Bodies. But of course there’s more than that. Betty’s horror is squelching and gross, but also thoughtful and mournful. “Postpartum” and “Dusk Urchin” both concern the heartbreak of motherhood. “Crimson Tide” is a coming of age horror story about coming of age, bullying and the unjust stigma of menstruation. And of course, “Elephants That Aren’t.” I love this story, where someone struggling to become an artist finds their bleak inspiration in cartoon elephants. Betty’s is one of the most unique voices in our field, and this collection will show you why.
5. Song for the Unraveling of the World by Brian Evenson: What Evenson does is unrivaled. Period. And this is his best collection yet. I’ve plenty to say about it, but here I’ll say that Evenson is the master of short fiction. Very short fiction. Writers looking for what good flash fiction, what profound flash fiction looks like, should pay attention.
6. The Unnamed Country by Jeffrey Thomas: Thomas made something very special here. I love shared-world stories, but they’re very rare. More often, they’re not that well-done. Modeled after Vietnam, The Unnamed Country is a place of loving sex workers, abandoned theme-parks, heroic monkey gods, silent psychics who can predict the lottery and more. Fans of Thomas won’t need selling, as his fans tend to know that everything he does is essential. But this is interesting, to see a short story collection that comes together and even has a clear beginning, middle and end.
7. Out of Water by Sarah Read: I confess I had not read any Sarah Read. This is I mistake I am so glad I got to correct. These are stories that, and this is such a cliché expression but I don’t know how else to articulate it, paint an extremely vivid picture. Of grief. Miscarriage. Water monsters and haunted deserts. Read presents some of the coolest concepts I’ve seen, from “Gennies” who lure grieving mothers to the water with the promise of children, to a mysterious rider chased by birds, to a couple who makes their own monsters to pass off as “the real deal.” Within all of this, she manages to include a few pieces that are short, vivid, and slide away from plot to evoke a strong response in the reader. If you are like me, and had not read any of Read, it’s time to correct that.
8. This House of Wounds by Georgina Bruce: This is a brutal collection, about the horrible things that can be done to a body. Genre here is not a mold, but a scalpel or drill. Never before have I read anything that so aptly seems fit for the description “slipstream.” I’ve said a lot about this collection, and I do hope people listen. Buy immediately (see also http://greydogtales.com/blog/georgina-bruce-her-body-a-temple-of-hurt/
9. Wounds: Six Stories from the Border of Hell by Nathan Ballingrud: Speaking of “wounds!” A post about weird fiction in 2019 wouldn’t be complete without mention of Nathan’s collection. Like Thomas’ collection, this one presents an interconnected mythology that slowly comes together. This is a terrifying mythology of hell, where the demons are tempting and the angels…the angels are horrifying. Just, awful. And the collection ends with a considerable novella with satanic cannibal pirates. You wouldn’t have had me convinced that such a thing could be smart, well-written, gross, thoughtful and entertaining all at once. But here we are.
10. Strange Company and Others by Peter Rawlik: For some reason, someone thought it was a good idea that my own collection follow Peter Rawlik’s. Peter has been a mainstay in the Mythos fiction stories for a long time, and justifiably so. Like Cardin’s, this is a book divided into three sections, the first covering “classic mythos,” the latter original weird fiction, and the final one “remixed” or “alternate” mythos. My favorite story had Santa meeting Frankenstein. Again, I’m just so envious of how smart, well-written and original stories like this can be. This is a must for both mythos fans and those who need a reminder that there is still good, original work to be done with all of Lovecraft’s monsters.
11. All the Things We Never See by Michael Kelly: Michael Kelly is one of the best author-editors in the field. And this collection shows it. From homelessness and poverty to more supernatural subjects, Kelly’s stories are those of tragedy, transformation and grief. I was struck that often one story ended and the next story seemed to open with lines that immediately echoed what came before, allowing for easy continuity and flow for a reader like me who binges collections. This, to me, demonstrates Kelly’s prowess as an editor in how carefully the collection was assembled. But the stories are great in their own right! And what I cannot shake is Kelly’s vivid descriptions of winter, which is something of an existential dread to Texans such as myself.
12. Shout Kill Revel Repeat by Scott R. Jones: Speaking of editor/authors. Jones is someone I have been waiting for, for a long time. As the editor of Martian Migraine Press, he demonstrated an excellent ability to anthologize, select and assemble stories. But his own writing has been under-sung, though it has appeared in many notable markets. Jones makes use of hard science fiction, high-concept psychological fantasy (think Grant Morrison) and good old-fashioned roll-up your sleeves horror. There are treats for those who have been waiting for this collection, new stories unavailable anywhere else. When it releases next month, strongly consider picking up your copy.
Honorable Mentions
This category is a little funny, but I only make it to add a few disclaimers.
Bedtime Stories by Russell Smeaton: The reason Russell is in this section is because he is one of my best friends in the writing community. That said, I also adored his writing before I became his friend. But do keep this in mind when you read the following: “The Street” alone makes this collection well worth the price of entry. Other entries include interesting takes on Lovecraft, a resounding condemnation of xenophobia, and a series of cat mythos tales. My copy of this book is one of my prized possessions, and it is evident in every part how hard and how well Russell worked to make this collection happen. I’m glad it has gotten the attention it has, but it deserves a lot more.
To Wallow in Ash and Other Sorrows by Sam Richard: The reason Sam is in this section is I have not yet had a chance to read it all. But it is a very notable collection, and the story about its release is a sad and brave one. Many of the stories were written shortly after a tragedy, and Sam poured his heart out in making them.
Lots of books are inevitably missing from any round-ups. The first task of any writer, when the Winter King speaks, is to pore over the lists and yell “The bastards, they’ve missed MY book out!”
Poor greydog does this regularly – for starters, that pup Edwards doesn’t mention A Persistence of Geraniums & Other Worrying Tales (IFD Publishing), by that debonair and astonishing author John Linwood Grant. Yeah, it’s not the same sort of weird fiction as the rest, and yeah, it’s a much expanded second edition, but this isn’t Logic City – what ever happened to good old fashioned nepotism, huh? Last time Edwards gets on here…
IF YOU HAVE/have had a weird or strange single author collection out in 2019 and we haven’t covered it here, feel free to contact us. We can’t cover everything, but we’ll try to mention it, especially if it’s odd.
And for more reviews, including lots of horror stuff, do also visit places like ginger nuts of horror book reviews