As
the book's curator, Jeffrey hits the bullseye with this collection of
horror penned by twenty-one different authors. In addition to monsters
and zombies, you'll read about, as Mr. Keeten notes, sea creatures,
frictions between Pagan and Christian beliefs, haunted roadside ponds,
well-fertilized rhododendrons, frosty visitors, and a wood witch named
Gungleplop. Gotta love a witch with that name! Jeffrey concludes his
cracking Introduction with these words of wisdom:
“Why do
we like to scare ourselves with terrifying stories? Maybe it's because
of the sometimes overwhelming fear we have of our incomprehensible
universe. Maybe we find reading and watching horror to be a civilized
way to quench our own dark impulses.
I personally subscribe to the theory that we scare ourselves for a simple reason: it make us feel more alive.”
To
share a taste of how a reader can get the willies and feel more alive,
I'll focus on the first three stories in the collection and then say a word about the book's artist.
BLUE ZONES by Robert Lewis Heron
Reading
this story was a blast and a half. The narrator, a gent I'll call Bo,
age 112, is on his way to Loma Linda, California to kill a woman by the
name of Jacky Flag. By the way, Jacky lives in a Blue Zone, that is, a
place where people tend to live long lives. You see, Bo wants to be the
oldest living American, and once he does in this 114-year-old bag of
bones, he'll achieve his goal and make it in the Guinness Book of World
Records and win a $2 million dollar bet with the mob.
The good
news: Bo has oodles of experience killing old people. God's honest
truth. He's been killing old people throughout American since he turned
100 and knows just the way to go about killing Jacky. And Bo is in good
shape. He shares the secret of his success: “A decent diet, a sharp
mind, physical activity, and a meaningful life goal of becoming whoever
you desire. In my case, the oldest living American.” One way Bo has kept
his mind sharp is by reading lots of Chandler, Hammett, and MacDonald.
“I've picked up a lot of good ideas on how to kill people from these
books. Creativity is the key to life. To both enjoy and destroy.”
Will all go according to plan for Bo? Any bets? Hint: Bo rarely loses a bet.
Thanks a bunch for your story, Robert Lewis! You happy-go-lucky devil.
UNDER THE RHODODENDRONS by Morgan Golladay
“There
was a dark patch in the grass and a slight depression where the body
had been buried last year. Kathy noticed it first. “Sue, take a look out
back where we planted the rhododendrons. Looks like the ground's sunk.
We might need to fill it in.”
I knew where she meant. I'd hoped we'd
buried George deep enough that this wouldn't happen, but looks like I
was wrong. There was actually two problems. The second, the dark patch,
would require more thought.”
Morgan, honey, you've written a
dozy. You begin your story with the above lines, thus we as readers know
THAT Kathy and Sue, two proper ladies who live in the Great Smoky
Mountains, buried older brother George under the rhodys, but we eagerly
savor each page as you explain WHY the two sweeties did what they did
and what all lead up to the grand event. Well, were given what literary
folks call a foreshadow when you have Kathy right off compare the rhodys
with her troublemaker brother. “And they're a lot prettier to look at
than George was.” Reading your story, we discover just how much
prettier. What a Smoky Mountain Breakdown gem!
ALIEN NIPPLE by Jeffrey D. Keeten
You've
done it, Sir Jeffrey! We're right there with you from the first page.
Gordon Lish called an author's opening to a story an attack. And what an
attack you've set down. As in these key lines: "She jammed it hard into
the surface of the table. I jumped and glared with dismay as the knife
handle wobbled back and forth like a misaligned metronome."
Nothing
like building suspense. One of my fav lines deep into your tale: "A few
months later, the news reported that a severed right arm had been found
in the dumpster." Your story would give H.P. Lovecraft the willies. 
ARTIST STATEMENT - Juan Cantú
Halloween Party '23
is peppered with the eye-catching work of this abnormally creative
uroboric artist. Here's how Juan kicks off his searing statement:
"Art,
for me, is a journey of authenticity, self-discovery, and mental
well-being. I entered the world of creativity as a novice just five
years ago, seeking a refuge for my restless mind. What I found was not
just a medium of expression but a lifeline that has enable me to
navigate the complexities of my mental health.
My art is
unconventional, often labeled as "bad art." Yet, it's in this
unpolished, unpretentious realm that I find my true creative voice. I
cherish the authentically compulsive nature of "bad art" because it
defies the constraints of perfection and welcomes the beauty of
imperfection." 
Halloween Party ' 23 - Read it. May the frightening force be with you.
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