I really admire anyone who can comprehend the true nature of cats. What a brilliant story and extremely well-arrayed adversaries and an author without contempt, it seems, for the sort of women it's quite fashionable these days to make mocking memes from.
You're doing me a wonderful service with this Substack of yours. I try to do very little reading of fiction these days; I've already got too many of the words of masters in my head and that's dangerous for anyone trying to extract good ideas from their own brains.
But somehow I'm not afraid of short story authors. In the briefer form a narrator's voice is so distinct that I feel reasonably confident I can avoid speaking in someone else's tongue now that I've learned my own.
We shouldn't want time to hurry too much but I'm sure looking forward to next Monday now.
Yes. Among the many reasons I despise Stephen King is how he drags out short-story concepts over 700 pages of "are we there yet or nah?"
Funny thing. I plaintively asked a psychic, just over a decade ago, if I'd have any luck with my novels. He said no, pretty resoundingly. Then he said I'd do fine with short stories. That's how I found online submission sites for what they insist on calling "flash fiction" these days. Being forced to stick to a 1,000-word limit was the magic key. It compelled me to finish when I used up my allowance.
Why are there so many Kings and not enough H. R. Wakefields? Logorrhea is a curse.
I almost did Wakefield's "The Frontier Guards" for this week but for whatever reason (again, that "whatever reason!") I went with Westall instead. Anyway. There's time and I have a long list.
Nicely done
This sounds pretty cool. Will check it out.
Hints of Lovecraft in there. Especially one of my favorites: The Shunned House. But no cats in that one.
I really admire anyone who can comprehend the true nature of cats. What a brilliant story and extremely well-arrayed adversaries and an author without contempt, it seems, for the sort of women it's quite fashionable these days to make mocking memes from.
You're doing me a wonderful service with this Substack of yours. I try to do very little reading of fiction these days; I've already got too many of the words of masters in my head and that's dangerous for anyone trying to extract good ideas from their own brains.
But somehow I'm not afraid of short story authors. In the briefer form a narrator's voice is so distinct that I feel reasonably confident I can avoid speaking in someone else's tongue now that I've learned my own.
We shouldn't want time to hurry too much but I'm sure looking forward to next Monday now.
Thank you for the kind words.
For whatever reason I feel that the short-story form and the horror genre are perfectly matched.
Yes. Among the many reasons I despise Stephen King is how he drags out short-story concepts over 700 pages of "are we there yet or nah?"
Funny thing. I plaintively asked a psychic, just over a decade ago, if I'd have any luck with my novels. He said no, pretty resoundingly. Then he said I'd do fine with short stories. That's how I found online submission sites for what they insist on calling "flash fiction" these days. Being forced to stick to a 1,000-word limit was the magic key. It compelled me to finish when I used up my allowance.
Why are there so many Kings and not enough H. R. Wakefields? Logorrhea is a curse.
I almost did Wakefield's "The Frontier Guards" for this week but for whatever reason (again, that "whatever reason!") I went with Westall instead. Anyway. There's time and I have a long list.
Thanks for the heads-up I better not skip my vitamins!
I missed the update last week and I felt like I let the team down. =(
Those imposed schedules are bad for good writing. I might be overusing this word these days but I find you a very elegant reviewer.
I, too, am adding this one to my TBR list! 🕸️👻 Thanks so much for the recommendation! 🙏🏼
Something about a parasite with the target being lonely women is both hauntingly beautiful and disturbing. I'm so curious!! 🐈⬛