Here’s a small selection of the horror and genre news that caught our eye during the last week …
Headlined by veteran storyteller David J. West, A Fistful of Demons assembles over twenty of the freshest voices in the Weird West genre into one massive anthology of short fiction that will take you on a wild ride unlike anything you’ve experienced before. Weird West, Western Horror, Fantasy Western—call it what you will—the stories in A Fistful of Demons deftly weave together a complex and thrilling blend of North American mythology, magic, alternate histories of American icons, steampunk, and more—all framed in the action-rich setting of the Old West. Famous novels, comics, and games in the genre include Joe R. Lansdale’s epic Deadman’s Crossing, the classic RPG Deadlands, John Albano & Tony DeZuniga’s award-winning Jonah Hex comic book series, Stephen King’s opus The Dark Tower, and R.S. Belcher’s bestseller The Six-Gun Tarot. A Fistful of Demons packs over 600 pages of Weird West stories inspired by the novel The Widow’s Son between two covers. No denying it, partner, this tome is fair bursting at the seams. Available now, you can grab your copy here.
Kalb Ward slaughters dogs for the Colony, a closed, dystopian society where resources are tight, free speech is nonexistent, and those in power have eyes and ears everywhere. Ward desperately wants to quit his grisly job, but he knows he’ll be arrested, or worse, if he tries. In the Colony, a citizen’s future is determined by a placement exam. Score high, and you’re set for life. Score low, and you end up living a nightmare–like Ward. Li Ling, the love of Ward’s youth, scored high, and she’s a local celebrity now, far out of his reach. Meanwhile, his neighbor’s son is making a series of disastrous decisions as his own exam rapidly approaches. Can Ward bridge the social divide and win back Li Ling? Can he help the neighbor’s son avoid a future as grim as his own? Can he escape the Colony’s oppressive rule and, if he’s very lucky, bring down the whole horrific system in the process? You know what they say: Every dog has his day. And Ward’s day is coming. Available now in eBook and paperback format, you can grab your copy here.
Poet Sara Tantlinger calls this collection: “gorgeous and visceral collection that takes readers down into the depths of a dark, poetic cathedral. Within, stars bleed and ‘flowers drip like meat.’ The spiritual meets the unholy, and clouds dance like ghosts in an angry sky. Lush word choices surround every verse, and Morris does an expert job at evoking emotion, whether she’s navigating the striking cultural influences of the Mi’kmaq language or describing the earth’s sorrow. Readers will delight in the rich descriptions and haunting melodies so carefully crafted within this outstanding collection.” Available now from Nictitating Books, you can get your copy in eBook or paperback, here.
In a near-future United States, surveillance technology’s the hottest trend in high-tech parenting. Children have their every move monitored from birth, thanks to repurposed military drones and contact lens digital cameras that show life from your child’s perspective. But in the aftermath of a tragedy at his son’s high school, one father must contend with the dark side of his reliance on these innovations. Putting a Black Mirror spin on We Need To Talk About Kevin, Patrick Barb’s Helicopter Parenting in the Age of Drone Warfare captures every parent’s worst nightmare as reimagined for the digital age. This lean, propulsive novelette examines the duality of technology-how it brings everyone closer, but also creates artificial barriers between us all. From its mysterious beginning to its inevitable, tragic ending, this tale of horror enabled by technology unveils secret after secret. Available to pre-order now in paperback and eBook formats, you can guarantee your copy here.
KEV HARRISON