I love Adam Ellis’ work. Not only do his online comics always look incredibly sleek, his work is always original and absolutely terrifying. Bad Dreams in the Night (fantastic title) is filled with some brand new stories to give you the creeps. Here are my favorites: Me and Evangeline at the Farm - A great … Continue reading Review: Bad Dreams in the Night, by Adam Ellis (Andrews McMeel Publishing)
Review: What Kingdom, by Fine Gråbøl, translated by Martin Aitken (Archipelago)
What Kingdom is Dutch poet Fine Gråbøl’s debut novel, translated by Martin Aitken. Our unnamed, young narrator is navigating her life in a psychiatric care facility. Through direct, uncomplicated prose, we meet the fellow residents, follow the drudgery of organizing group meals and grocery shopping, and watch as caregivers come and go. For a book … Continue reading Review: What Kingdom, by Fine Gråbøl, translated by Martin Aitken (Archipelago)
Review: Green Frog, by Gina Chung (Vintage)
I was blown away by Gina Chung’s debut novel, Sea Change. Chung’s writing is so warm and charming, and this continues in her wonderful story collection, Green Frog. The opening, titular story is a wonderful snapshot of a character and a life. It’s a sweet tale about a young lady who has lost her mother, … Continue reading Review: Green Frog, by Gina Chung (Vintage)
Review: Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart, by GennaRose Nethercott (Vintage)
I fell in love with GennaRose Nethercott’s writing after reading her thrilling novel, Thistlefoot. As an avid reader of weird short stories, I grabbed Nethercott’s debut collection, Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart, as soon as I could. Here are my favorites: Sundown at the Eternal Staircase - The opening story establishes the tone of … Continue reading Review: Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart, by GennaRose Nethercott (Vintage)
Review: We Have Always Been Who We Are, by Sofia T. Romero (Blackstone)
Sofia T. Romero’s debut collection, We Have Always Been Who We Are, contains a fantastic mix of stories. Here are my favorites: My First Confession - A weird sorority initiation ceremony including a book of secrets. It all goes wrong when an “outsider” tries to join. Ashes to Ashes - Oh my word, this was … Continue reading Review: We Have Always Been Who We Are, by Sofia T. Romero (Blackstone)
Review: No One Will Come Back for Us, by Premee Mohamed (Undertow Publications)
Premee Mohamed is one of those writers I had often heard about, but I foolishly never made the time to explore her work. However, after reading her contribution to the upcoming dark Peter Pan anthology (The Other Side of Never, Titan Books), I could no longer ignore this force. No One Will Come Back for … Continue reading Review: No One Will Come Back for Us, by Premee Mohamed (Undertow Publications)
Weird Female-Authored Short Story Collections
Little did I know that my dumb little morning tweet would provide such an incredible list of recommendations of short story collections by female authors. I've compiled most of the responses below. I can't speak to the quality of all of these (yet!), but I've highlighted my favorites. I like to think of myself as … Continue reading Weird Female-Authored Short Story Collections
Review – The BBC National Short Story Award 2021 (Edited by James Runcie, Comma Press)
It’s that time of year again! I’ve loved it for years, and I’m glad to report that the nominated stories for 2021 are incredibly strong. Click on each title to hear the stories for free on BBC Sounds. The first story will be broadcast on September 20th, with a new story for the following four … Continue reading Review – The BBC National Short Story Award 2021 (Edited by James Runcie, Comma Press)
April 2021 Round-Up and May Reads
April Reads Well, suppose I’d better get my April round-up done before June comes along. Here’s the run-down: Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler (Grand Central Publishing)Near the Bone - Christina Henry (Berkley Publishing)Folklore - Angela Mi Young Hur (Erewhon)Chouette - Claire Oshetsky (Ecco)Jews Don’t Count - David Baddiel (TLS Books)Sometimes Amazing Things Happen - Elizabeth Ford … Continue reading April 2021 Round-Up and May Reads
Where To Read Amazing Short Stories
I'm approaching the three-year anniversary of starting my habit of reading a short story every day. I've read over 1000 stories. To be honest, I don't manage to read one absolutely every day; I don't treat it like homework. There are days when I'm just not feeling it, or I'm engrossed in a novel. I … Continue reading Where To Read Amazing Short Stories
California Reading 