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Dead Awake
Twelve tales of darkness from the new generation of horror authors that will seep into your mind as you lie Dead Awake at night.
Including tales from new horror standouts: Christy Aldridge, C.W. Blackwell, Jill Girardi, Mark Allan Gunnells, Sylvia Elven, A C Fraser, Sadie Hartmann (Mother Horror), Michelle Renee Lane, Catherine McCarthy, Justin Montgomery, Ethan Pollard, and the Sisters of Slaughter.
As horror legend Stanley Wiater stated, "Go revel in their waking nightmares."
Including tales from new horror standouts: Christy Aldridge, C.W. Blackwell, Jill Girardi, Mark Allan Gunnells, Sylvia Elven, A C Fraser, Sadie Hartmann (Mother Horror), Michelle Renee Lane, Catherine McCarthy, Justin Montgomery, Ethan Pollard, and the Sisters of Slaughter.
As horror legend Stanley Wiater stated, "Go revel in their waking nightmares."
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
127 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 18, 2021
Dead Awake: 12 Tales of Darkness contains–you guessed it–12 short horror stories by a bunch of excellent authors.
Sisters of Slaughter bring us “To Burn the Black Church.” It’s a brief exploration of an evil oddity, and touches on how a person’s faith (or lack thereof) might impact their interactions with a pinch of cosmic horror.
A.C. Fraser’s “High Tide” introduces us to a man who just wants to save himself and his kid when the Flood (some sort of high-speed infection) breaks through the wall. There’s an interesting question of what (or whom) people will be willing to leave behind in return for the hope of being saved. This story does end a bit abruptly.
Mark Allan Gunnells’ “Clown Craze” introduces us to Paul, a professional clown who’s lost a lot of work since mysterious scary clowns have started showing up here and there. Finally he’s been hired to work a Halloween party! Sometimes when you look too much like an evil thing, you can’t expect things to end well. This was another rather abrupt ending to a very short story. (My one beef with horror short stories is that many of them end very abruptly, or too early, or in the middle of what might make a great climax if there was more to it. There’s a handful of those stories in here.)
“The Dancer in the Pines,” by C.W. Blackwell, starts off when young Josephine finds a pair of ballet slippers next to a pond–and gets scary from there. It develops into more detail than I’m accustomed to seeing from this sort of setup, but squanders that by leaving off in what feels like the middle of the climax.
In Michelle Renee Lane’s “The Hag Stone,” a mother has brought her son Jack to meet her boyfriend, Richard. All seems to be fine and dandy until Jack goes missing while Richard is with him–then things turn deadly. I always enjoy a story in which creeps get their due!
Ethan Pollard’s “The Cellar” is a very cosmic horror-type story. A person seems to be caught in a house that has no exit, and something in the cellar beneath him keeps knocking on the floor, circling him. I wasn’t sure where this one was going, but the ending made it work. Be careful what promises you make…
Jill Girardi’s “Hunger” takes place in Malaysia. Miss Hai-Er has fled Hong Kong and her boss, Wu Jing. She’s hiding out in a boarding house that’s more than a little eccentric. And it seems like all of the older residents have a strange sort of skin disease. Still, she doesn’t want to be found by Wu Jing’s people, so she’s going to have to roll with it. Nice to see characters of all ages involved, and I love how this works out.
In “Matriphagy,” by Sadie Hartmann, a mother goes missing for a few hours. When she returns her face is blank, and she goes to her room and locks herself in. Her two children have no idea what to do with this. I love that I can really see kids reacting in reality the way these two do.
Catherine McCarthy’s “Immortelle” is definitely one of my favorite tales in here. There’s a young woman who makes immortelles, precise displays to be placed on graves that commemorate the deceased. Now she’s making one for a child whose ghost watches her work. I love the turns this story takes. It definitely gave me a shiver.
“The House on Dandy Lane,” by Christy Aldridge, introduces Joe Harrison, a traveling salesman for Mount Olive Cleaning supplies. Most people slam their doors in his face, but an odd old woman finally lets him in. He realizes she’s too far gone to realistically make a decision on buying products, but hey, a sale’s a sale, right? He’s certainly willing to try. This is a great story of the banality of small-time greed.
Justin Montgomery’s “Sometimes They Linger” is fantastic. It takes place several months after the death of Maddee, the beloved dog belonging to Beverly and John. Beverly is still grieving, and sometimes she thinks she hears Maddee in the night. But John is angry that she seems to be wasting away in her grief rather than moving on. Beverly thinks that if Maddee came back, it would be wonderful. John, who loves a good horror story, is convinced it would be terrible. Guess we’ll just have to find out, won’t we? I love the way this story explores the complex feelings involved when you lose a beloved pet.
Sylvia Elven’s “Fireflies” captures the story of Julie, who’s spiriting her sister Rose away from an abusive relationship. When a flat tire compels them to stop, more than one danger shows up to take advantage of their ill fortune. For some reason this just wasn’t as arresting as I felt it should be. Maybe because the supernatural aspect of it seems to have little personality to it.
Content note: mostly mild gore, but with one live skinning.
I definitely think this anthology is worth picking up if you enjoy horror short stories!
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2021/01/r...
Sisters of Slaughter bring us “To Burn the Black Church.” It’s a brief exploration of an evil oddity, and touches on how a person’s faith (or lack thereof) might impact their interactions with a pinch of cosmic horror.
A.C. Fraser’s “High Tide” introduces us to a man who just wants to save himself and his kid when the Flood (some sort of high-speed infection) breaks through the wall. There’s an interesting question of what (or whom) people will be willing to leave behind in return for the hope of being saved. This story does end a bit abruptly.
Mark Allan Gunnells’ “Clown Craze” introduces us to Paul, a professional clown who’s lost a lot of work since mysterious scary clowns have started showing up here and there. Finally he’s been hired to work a Halloween party! Sometimes when you look too much like an evil thing, you can’t expect things to end well. This was another rather abrupt ending to a very short story. (My one beef with horror short stories is that many of them end very abruptly, or too early, or in the middle of what might make a great climax if there was more to it. There’s a handful of those stories in here.)
“The Dancer in the Pines,” by C.W. Blackwell, starts off when young Josephine finds a pair of ballet slippers next to a pond–and gets scary from there. It develops into more detail than I’m accustomed to seeing from this sort of setup, but squanders that by leaving off in what feels like the middle of the climax.
In Michelle Renee Lane’s “The Hag Stone,” a mother has brought her son Jack to meet her boyfriend, Richard. All seems to be fine and dandy until Jack goes missing while Richard is with him–then things turn deadly. I always enjoy a story in which creeps get their due!
Ethan Pollard’s “The Cellar” is a very cosmic horror-type story. A person seems to be caught in a house that has no exit, and something in the cellar beneath him keeps knocking on the floor, circling him. I wasn’t sure where this one was going, but the ending made it work. Be careful what promises you make…
Jill Girardi’s “Hunger” takes place in Malaysia. Miss Hai-Er has fled Hong Kong and her boss, Wu Jing. She’s hiding out in a boarding house that’s more than a little eccentric. And it seems like all of the older residents have a strange sort of skin disease. Still, she doesn’t want to be found by Wu Jing’s people, so she’s going to have to roll with it. Nice to see characters of all ages involved, and I love how this works out.
In “Matriphagy,” by Sadie Hartmann, a mother goes missing for a few hours. When she returns her face is blank, and she goes to her room and locks herself in. Her two children have no idea what to do with this. I love that I can really see kids reacting in reality the way these two do.
Catherine McCarthy’s “Immortelle” is definitely one of my favorite tales in here. There’s a young woman who makes immortelles, precise displays to be placed on graves that commemorate the deceased. Now she’s making one for a child whose ghost watches her work. I love the turns this story takes. It definitely gave me a shiver.
“The House on Dandy Lane,” by Christy Aldridge, introduces Joe Harrison, a traveling salesman for Mount Olive Cleaning supplies. Most people slam their doors in his face, but an odd old woman finally lets him in. He realizes she’s too far gone to realistically make a decision on buying products, but hey, a sale’s a sale, right? He’s certainly willing to try. This is a great story of the banality of small-time greed.
Justin Montgomery’s “Sometimes They Linger” is fantastic. It takes place several months after the death of Maddee, the beloved dog belonging to Beverly and John. Beverly is still grieving, and sometimes she thinks she hears Maddee in the night. But John is angry that she seems to be wasting away in her grief rather than moving on. Beverly thinks that if Maddee came back, it would be wonderful. John, who loves a good horror story, is convinced it would be terrible. Guess we’ll just have to find out, won’t we? I love the way this story explores the complex feelings involved when you lose a beloved pet.
Sylvia Elven’s “Fireflies” captures the story of Julie, who’s spiriting her sister Rose away from an abusive relationship. When a flat tire compels them to stop, more than one danger shows up to take advantage of their ill fortune. For some reason this just wasn’t as arresting as I felt it should be. Maybe because the supernatural aspect of it seems to have little personality to it.
Content note: mostly mild gore, but with one live skinning.
I definitely think this anthology is worth picking up if you enjoy horror short stories!
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2021/01/r...
October 12, 2020
I’m a voracious reader and I’m particularly fond of short horror fiction. In the span of a given calendar year, I manage to read anywhere from fifteen to twenty horror anthologies. By the same token, I’m also a writer who specializes in short horror fiction. As such, I am well aware of the tricks of the trade and despite the best efforts of most authors, I find as years pass that I tend to pick up on the twists and turns of even the most skillfully constructed short stories well before they’re revealed in the narrative. That isn’t meant as a boast, just an observation for the sake of context.
The twelve stories collected in Dead Awake managed to subvert my expectations more than I’d anticipated. A number of these tales took turns I honestly didn’t see coming, with one in particular – “Matriphagy” , by Sadie Hartmann (in her fiction debut)– offering a particularly nasty surprise that so blindsided me it actually gave me the creeps.
I can’t honestly say every one of these stories landed with me, but they are all skillfully written. Any issues I have are a matter of my personal preference, not the degree of craftsmanship, and in that spirit I can honestly say each and every one of them has merit. I have no doubt other readers will find more to love in the ones that didn’t quite get there for me than I did. All of these are imaginative and show a mastery of the craft.
That being addressed, I did have my favorites. The aforementioned “Matriphagy” was one of the best of the bunch, an unsettling tale of a brother and sister in farm country who find themselves facing something unspeakable. The story is written with an attentive ear for how the specific characters would speak and think given their upbringing, adding a degree of character and plausibility to the story a lot of first time fiction authors might have neglected. This read like the work of a seasoned author of fiction, not a debut effort.
Likewise, “To Burn the Black Church” by the Sisters of Slaughter opens the book on a gripping, powerhouse note with the chronicle of a group of men determined to destroy an evil edifice that may be indestructible. I’ve been a fan of these ladies since I read their superb novel Mayan Blue a while back and the full breadth of their storytelling prowess is on display here. This was a chilling, absorbing read.
“Clown Craze” by Mark Allen Gunnels is a terrific, twisted riff on fanaticism as experienced by a professional clown. This nasty little chiller is seasoned with an old school, “Tales from the Crypt “ vibe that really worked for me.
Finally, “Fireflies” by Sylvia Elven is a wonderfully bizarre, fascinating bit of horror involving a pair of sisters on the run who discover something even more terrifying than the abusive man from whom they’re fleeing. I loved every sentence of this story, which closes out the book on a high note.
Packed with imagination and chills, Dead Awake is one of the better anthologies to come along in a while. There’s something here for horror fans of all stripes, I think, making this a must read for anyone who enjoys fiction combining the fantastic with a dark edge.
Highly recommended.
The twelve stories collected in Dead Awake managed to subvert my expectations more than I’d anticipated. A number of these tales took turns I honestly didn’t see coming, with one in particular – “Matriphagy” , by Sadie Hartmann (in her fiction debut)– offering a particularly nasty surprise that so blindsided me it actually gave me the creeps.
I can’t honestly say every one of these stories landed with me, but they are all skillfully written. Any issues I have are a matter of my personal preference, not the degree of craftsmanship, and in that spirit I can honestly say each and every one of them has merit. I have no doubt other readers will find more to love in the ones that didn’t quite get there for me than I did. All of these are imaginative and show a mastery of the craft.
That being addressed, I did have my favorites. The aforementioned “Matriphagy” was one of the best of the bunch, an unsettling tale of a brother and sister in farm country who find themselves facing something unspeakable. The story is written with an attentive ear for how the specific characters would speak and think given their upbringing, adding a degree of character and plausibility to the story a lot of first time fiction authors might have neglected. This read like the work of a seasoned author of fiction, not a debut effort.
Likewise, “To Burn the Black Church” by the Sisters of Slaughter opens the book on a gripping, powerhouse note with the chronicle of a group of men determined to destroy an evil edifice that may be indestructible. I’ve been a fan of these ladies since I read their superb novel Mayan Blue a while back and the full breadth of their storytelling prowess is on display here. This was a chilling, absorbing read.
“Clown Craze” by Mark Allen Gunnels is a terrific, twisted riff on fanaticism as experienced by a professional clown. This nasty little chiller is seasoned with an old school, “Tales from the Crypt “ vibe that really worked for me.
Finally, “Fireflies” by Sylvia Elven is a wonderfully bizarre, fascinating bit of horror involving a pair of sisters on the run who discover something even more terrifying than the abusive man from whom they’re fleeing. I loved every sentence of this story, which closes out the book on a high note.
Packed with imagination and chills, Dead Awake is one of the better anthologies to come along in a while. There’s something here for horror fans of all stripes, I think, making this a must read for anyone who enjoys fiction combining the fantastic with a dark edge.
Highly recommended.
December 5, 2020
Fascinating
I enjoyed reading these stories they were AA interesting and fun to read. Tell you what you keep writing them and ill keep reading them sincerely Christine Dunne Harlingen Texas
I enjoyed reading these stories they were AA interesting and fun to read. Tell you what you keep writing them and ill keep reading them sincerely Christine Dunne Harlingen Texas
June 28, 2021
Pretty good anthology with some solid stories.
October 5, 2020
Are you a Dark Dreamer?" So begins the foreword to Dead Awake, 12 tales of darkness from the new generation of horror.
Anthologies are like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get. Some of these tales, most notably The House on Dandy Lane by Christy Aldridge, Matriphagy by Sadie Hartmann (Bookstagram's own Mother Horror) and To Burn the Black Church by The Sisters of Slaughter, were just the right size, with enough suspense to keep you intrigued and with a satisfying ending.
Some of the other stories, unfortunately, did not live up to the standards set by those three. Some were lackluster at best, with a bit of a drag to the storyline and no firm grasp of the tale they wanted to tell. Others were overly verbose, as if the author tried making a tight short story into a novella. The excessive unnecessary wording added nothing to the story, and merely caused the reader to lose interest in the original plot.
With some great short stories, some decent attempts and a few that could really use some tightening up, I would average this collection as a whole as a 3.25/5 star read.
Anthologies are like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get. Some of these tales, most notably The House on Dandy Lane by Christy Aldridge, Matriphagy by Sadie Hartmann (Bookstagram's own Mother Horror) and To Burn the Black Church by The Sisters of Slaughter, were just the right size, with enough suspense to keep you intrigued and with a satisfying ending.
Some of the other stories, unfortunately, did not live up to the standards set by those three. Some were lackluster at best, with a bit of a drag to the storyline and no firm grasp of the tale they wanted to tell. Others were overly verbose, as if the author tried making a tight short story into a novella. The excessive unnecessary wording added nothing to the story, and merely caused the reader to lose interest in the original plot.
With some great short stories, some decent attempts and a few that could really use some tightening up, I would average this collection as a whole as a 3.25/5 star read.
March 22, 2022
Anthologies are generally a mixed bag; not every story will work for every reader. The same goes for this one. That being said, there was enough in here that worked for me to make this worth reading.
Highlights include:
"To Burn the Black Church" was my first time reading anything by the Sisters of Slaughter, but it certainly won't be my last. This was an interesting tale of an evil building that I kind of wish had been longer but otherwise enjoyed.
AC Fraser's "High Tide" was a unique look at a post apocalyptic world. I loved the way the story gradually unfolds as you begin to clue in that this world is not quite the same as ours. It was clever, and I could definitely read more set in this universe.
"The Dancer in the Pines" by C.W. Blackwell started out really strongly. Something's not right in Josephina's new home and her mother won't tell her everything. However, the story ends so abruptly, it kind of left me reeling. Since the story up until that point has been so well written and compelling however, I still wanted to include it here. I would definitely read more by Blackwell, especially if they decide to stretch this story out into a longer, more complete work.
"Hunger" by Jill Girardi features a girl on the run and the strange boarding house in Malaysia. This was the most unique and satisfying story in the collection and one of my two favorites.
Catherine McCarthy's "Immortelle" was my other favorite. It features a murdered child visiting the artist making a decoration for her grave. This is is a satisfying tale of revenge and appears related to McCarthy's full length work of the same name which I will now definitely be reading.
Note: I skipped Justin Montgomery's "Sometimes They Linger" as I don't do well with stories involving animal death.
Highlights include:
"To Burn the Black Church" was my first time reading anything by the Sisters of Slaughter, but it certainly won't be my last. This was an interesting tale of an evil building that I kind of wish had been longer but otherwise enjoyed.
AC Fraser's "High Tide" was a unique look at a post apocalyptic world. I loved the way the story gradually unfolds as you begin to clue in that this world is not quite the same as ours. It was clever, and I could definitely read more set in this universe.
"The Dancer in the Pines" by C.W. Blackwell started out really strongly. Something's not right in Josephina's new home and her mother won't tell her everything. However, the story ends so abruptly, it kind of left me reeling. Since the story up until that point has been so well written and compelling however, I still wanted to include it here. I would definitely read more by Blackwell, especially if they decide to stretch this story out into a longer, more complete work.
"Hunger" by Jill Girardi features a girl on the run and the strange boarding house in Malaysia. This was the most unique and satisfying story in the collection and one of my two favorites.
Catherine McCarthy's "Immortelle" was my other favorite. It features a murdered child visiting the artist making a decoration for her grave. This is is a satisfying tale of revenge and appears related to McCarthy's full length work of the same name which I will now definitely be reading.
Note: I skipped Justin Montgomery's "Sometimes They Linger" as I don't do well with stories involving animal death.
March 29, 2021
3.5 stars!
May 8, 2021
Gory, brash and bold. Some excellent tales with only one or two misses.
May 5, 2021
not too bad really
Well, all of these stories possess elements of horror, no doubt of that. Some of them are better written than others is all. They cover a wide range of themes from the apocolypse to Halloween clowns and the power of faith. Not a bad collection. Could have done with a bit less of the ‘he said’ ‘she said’ though.
Well, all of these stories possess elements of horror, no doubt of that. Some of them are better written than others is all. They cover a wide range of themes from the apocolypse to Halloween clowns and the power of faith. Not a bad collection. Could have done with a bit less of the ‘he said’ ‘she said’ though.
Read
March 11, 2021some good some not so quick read so go for it.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews