Five Things #2

Second in a semi-regular series of posts linking to things I've found interesting, valuable or amusing recently. Without further ado:

1. 'Wishing For Alison' by Steve Mosby
Crime writer Steve Mosby has only written a few short stories, but each one I've read has been dark, lyrical, and deftly written. 'Wishing For Alison', published on the author's blog, is no exception.

2. 'Old Water, New Waves' by V.H. Leslie
On the Thresholds site, V.H. Leslie writes about the work of Charlotte Perkins Gilman, specifically the story 'Old Water'. Gilman is of course best know for her classic 'The Yellow Wallpaper', but Leslie's piece really makes me want to seek out 'Old Water' too.

3. CVLT Nation Interview with Matthew M. Bartlett
Fascinating interview with Matthew M. Bartlett, author of Creeping Waves and Gateways To Abomination.

4. 'Gold Lift' by Martin Carr
New musical goodness from Martin Carr, which despite being catchy as sin is also a lament/polemic about the Brexit/Trump/Le Pen/Tory wet dream world in which we live. Buy here.

5. Writers On The Short Story Parts 1-4
The Reading The Short Story site has done a four-parter of quotes from various writers about the short story form, including gems from Chekov, Donald Barthelme, Katherine Mansfield, and Julio Cortazar.

Recent Book Recommendations

The festive break means I've been off work and able to devote more time to do what I was put on God's earth to do: read books. Mind you, I received more new books as presents than I actually read, so in reality I've slipped back in my fight against the dreaded 'to read' pile.

These were the pick of the bunch of recent reading:

Dark Room - Steve Mosby
A very dark, very grim crime novel with an interesting intellectual premise behind it. After Black Flowers, confirms Steve Mosby as one of my favourite current crime writers.

Ill At Ease 2
A collection of seven horror short stories from Mark West & Co and as good as expected. Here's hoping there's a third volume soon!

The Thirteen Ghosts Of Christmas
The perfect time of year to read this anthology from Spectral Press; thirteen Christmas ghost stories ranging from the traditional Jamesian ghost story to the more modern horrors of Thana Niveau's spectacular And May All Your Christmases.

We Are Wormwood - Autumn Christian
A surreal tales of drugs, madness, and a demon with wormwood eyes, told in dense, lush prose. A true original.

Tales of the Weak and Wounded - Gary McMahon
I've got a theory (it's probably bunkum) that all great horror writers are great short story writers. Gary McMahon certain provides positive evidence here.