I've always enjoyed short stories because they fit my busy lifestyle, enabling me to read an entire story on my lunch hour or in between projects. A quick fix for my ingrained reading habit... That's why I'm a big follower of the internationally popular, critically acclaimed online horror magazine, The Horror Zine, which was founded by editor Jeani Rector, with Dean H. Wild as assistant editor. Since I visit The Horror Zine on a regular basis to read short stories from the best horror writers in the business, you might imagine my delight when I found news of this exciting anthology on the website.
Quickly scanning the article for details of
What Fears Become: An Anthology from The Horror Zine, I soon learned that Piers Anthony and Bentley Little, two of my favorite writers, are featured in it. Those horror masters deliver creepy twists and turns that make your eyes bleed...a true test of deep-rooted genius.
Reading on, I learned that another of my favorite authors Cheryl Kaye Tardif--although newer than the others--is also featured in this book. That's when I knew I had to grab a copy!
Thank God, with the Kindle I could start reading right away! And Wow--I was treated to the most weird, creepy, frightening tales imaginable; stories that would make Edgar Allan Poe turn over in his grave. I felt like I was in my own private Twilight Zone (with spooks creeping up on me from every side) as I gripped my e-Reader so hard I thought it might shatter like the bodies of so many of the characters in these dark fantasies. From pure suspense to classic horror, this collection from the Horror-Zine freaked me out; just the state of mind I like when racing from one horrifying twist to another. Great horror at its bloodiest, most heart-pounding best!
In addition to the three writers mentioned above, this book features stories by bestselling authors such as Graham Masterton, Ramsey Campbell, Joe R. Lansdale, Elizabeth Massie, Ronald Malfi, Melanie Tem, Scott Nicholson, Conrad Williams and many more.
I usually select two or three short stories as examples of what I like best in a book, but, truthfully, this time around they were all so incredibly horrific I just couldn't choose.
Another thing that makes this anthology so outstanding is the professional editing by Jeani Rector and the fascinating foreword by award-winning, bestselling author Simon Clark. In addition to these dark, malevolent short stories, Rector also compiled a collection of equally nightmarish illustrations and poems by lesser-known artists and poets who will soon make their mark in the dark domain of horror.
I'm impressed with The Horror Zine's policy of giving newcomers a hands-up in the genre and agree with author Scott Nicholson's assessment: "The Horror Zine is the genre's Ground Zero where horror legends merge with the talents of tomorrow." Nicholson is the author of
The Red Church, other books and short stories.
Yes, these stories are disturbing, dreadful, eerie, frightening, ghoulish, gruesome, etc. but we can't get enough of them. They're as contagious as a raging disease to true horror lovers. We read on to the bitter end, even when our hearts are palpitating, our hands shaking and our eyes bulging out of our heads. What bittersweet torture...and we love it. Go figure...
Come, then! I invite you to get your copy of this book, but am compelled to remind you to turn the lights on and lock all the doors before you start reading. It's that scary...
Reviewed by Betty Dravis, September 7, 2011
Author of "The Dream Reachers" series (with Chase Von) and other books
