Shock Totem 1: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted [Kindle Edition]

Shock Totem (Author), John Skipp (Author), Mercedes M. Yardley (Author), Kurt Newton (Author), Don D'Ammassa (Author), Jennifer Pelland (Author), T.L. Morganfield (Author), Brian Rappatta (Author), David Niall Wilson (Author), K. Allen Wood (Editor)

Book Description

The debut issue of Shock Totem features an eclectic mix of dark fiction from T.L. Morganfield, David Niall Wilson, Jennifer Pelland, Kurt Newton, Don D'Ammassa, Mercedes M. Yardley, and more. Also conversations with William Ollie, Alan Robert (Life of Agony, Spoiler NYC), and the legendary John Skipp.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Shock Totem is an impressive small press publication that is impeccably edited and compiled. There is not one section of the magazine that I didn't like and all of the stories contained within its pages truly impressed and entertained me. You can tell that it is made by horror fans for horror fans!" --Sarah Jahier, Fatally Yours

"Shock Totem deserves a warm reception by its neighbors in horror's colony. New blood, especially tasty new blood, is good news for us all." --Sheila Merritt, Hellnotes

"Horror fiction magazines are a dime a dozen, and I avoid most of them because I'm rarely impressed by their often amateurish outings. Judging by its debut issue, Shock Totem: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted is something different..." --Rod Lott, Bookgasm

"Shock Totem #1 is a great debut. I thoroughly enjoyed the magazine from cover to cover and I can't wait for the second issue to come out. If the team behind the magazine can keep the quality this consistently high from issue to issue then horror fans the world over should rejoice." --Brian M. Sammons, Horrorworld

"I foresee Shock Totem becoming the next Cemetery Dance--a magazine that readers wait for with baited breath and eager writers salivate to get their stuff into." --Nickolas Cook, The Black Glove

About the Author

Shock Totem is an American literary journal specializing in dark fantasy and horror. The debut issue was published on July 1, 2009. The publication's main goal is to promote and support new and established authors by focusing primarily on fiction, but also through nonfiction articles and interviews (called "conversations").

Product Details

• File Size: 1187 KB
• Print Length: 100 pages
• Publisher: Shock Totem Publications (June 20, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0057U14BC
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #108,554 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A three-ring circus of the macabre September 1, 2011

By Wag The Fox

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

It seems short fiction markets are a fleeting thing. Some crop up out of nowhere, then disappear as quickly as they came. The ones that survive are to be commended--and read. Shock Totem came out with its first paperback issue in the summer of 2009, and this summer sees its fourth edition (Shock Totem 4: Curious Tales of the Macabre and Twisted) coming out as a physical copy. But, at the same time, Shock Totem #1 has been re-released as an e-book. An insanely affordable one at that, with an asking price of only $1.99 on the Kindle Store. How could I resist?

Now, with the digital release, a couple things have been left out. Namely the reviews and artwork. But, the stories and interviews are intact, and that's the meat of this publication as far as I'm concerned, anyway.

After a brief introduction from its editor, K. Allen Wood, Shock Totem #1 kicks off with a barn-burner of a story by T.L. Morganfield called "The Music Box." Just imagine those cuddly plush dolls that we used to love playing with as kids, and maybe some of us have passed those toys down to our own children. Now imagine those toys are alive--and they know how to hold a grudge. Yeah, this one was creepy in all the right places and really set a tone for the rest of the book.

More horror abounds, with a quick, quirky read from Mercedes M. Yardley called "Murder for Beginners," which has a couple of women having a remarkably casual conversation while standing over the corpse of their former lover, a married man they've just murdered. Yikes.

Another couple of the standouts for me were Don D'Ammassa's "Complexity" and David Niall Wilson's "Slider." And best title has to go to Kurt Newton's "Thirty-Two Scenes from a Dead Hooker's Mouth." Just read it. Disparate in tone, each brought something really dark to this little collection. In fact, as you read from cover to cover, you find the diverse array of stories really only has two things in common: they're dark as hell and really well written.

If the fiction isn't enough, there are a couple of interviews with the likes of John Skipp and Alan Robert. All things considered, Shock Totem may not be as shocking as you might expect it to be, but it certainly taps into those dark facets of human nature, one way or another. It's also nice to see each author explain at the end of the book the impetus for each of their stories. With such diversity, the book feels like a three-ring circus of the most macabre variety.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Debut February 29, 2012

By Mark A. Gunnells

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Wow, that's all I have to say. Okay, you twisted my arm, I'll say more. This was a hell of a debut issue for a publication. The quality of the writing was beyond impressive. What was perhaps even more impressive was the fact that the stories were all so diverse, different types of horror written in a variety of styles. It made for fascinating reading, sort of like a great anthology and not just a magazine. My favorite tales were Mercedes M. Yardley's hilarious "Murder for Beginners" and Kurt Newton's fascinating and brilliantly structured "Thirty-Two Scenes from a Dead Hooker's Mouth". Other stand-outs were "Below the Surface" by Pam L. Wallace and "The Music Box" by T.L. Morganfield. There were also some really great interviews in there, be sure to check out the one with cool cat John Skipp, and K. Allen Wood had a wonderful introductory essay called "Stronger than Friction" that gives some insight into the magazine and the folks behind it. I also really enjoyed that there were notes on each of the stories at the end. I can't wait to devour all the other issues.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Dark and Beautiful as Always... September 4, 2012

By Alexis A. Hunter

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

As dark and beautiful as always (I've read the following issues). Only downside on this one was the tiny font, but it was well worth it for the stories within. Probably my favorite story this time around was "The Dead March" by Brian Rappatta - it had an air of despair and yet ended on an almost hopeful note that resonated with me.