Bloodlines is a new eBook series from celebrated publisher Cemetery Dance Publications, bringing together hallmark voices from horror's past, present, and those who represent the genre's future. Featuring a diverse range of voices and styles, Bloodlines seeks to continue the traditions of anthologies which have gone before, such as the vaunted Shadows, Whispers, Masques, and Year's Bester Horror. Each story will have a blackout poem as its epigraph, composed by Stoker-Nominated Poet Jessica McHugh.
Featured in this edition:
"Buckeye Jim in Egypt," by Mort Castle
"The Invention of Ghosts," by Gwendolyn Kiste
"Paint Box, Puzzle Box," by D. T. Friedman
"The Night We Buried Road Dog," by Jack Cady
"The Night Wire," by H. F. Arnold
This anthology features five previously published stories in one volume, curated by Kevin Lucia.
All of the stories were new to me and I will just touch briefly on the ones I loved the most.
My favorites were the stories by Mort Castle and Gwendolyn Kiste.
Buckeye Jim In Egypt takes place in a mining town in the days when racism ran rampant and union busters were a popular way for greedy employers to beat any thought of fair wages or safe working conditions out of your head. There is a warning at the beginning concerning the language of that day being used. You may find it offensive but it would not have been effective to pretend that isn't how some people spoke back then (and sadly some still do.) It is a story of racism, greed and religion and put me in mind of that old 90's song that went something like What if God was one of us?
"Just a slob like one of us. Just a stranger on the bus, Trying to make his way home?"
Ok so Buckeye Jim is not God per se but he is more than a man and he will bring both his wrath and benevolence to town. I loved this story. It's loaded with suspense and it was satisfying when a certain someone got their comeuppance.
The Invention of Ghosts is a story of college roommates and best friends since childhood, that slowly drift apart. One wants to move on while the other wants things to stay as they are. Can a living person be a ghost? Maybe they can if they want it badly enough. This witchy story was both spooky and sad. Chances are that none of us are the same people we once were. We grow and change and evolve. What happens to those bits of ourselves that we've outgrown? It made me wonder if those pieces of ourselves go on without us instead of the other way around. This is an unforgettable tale.
The other stories were just ok for me. I did not actively dislike them but they didn't wow me.
My thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications.
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