Death and Steampunk: Murder and Machinery Arrives at Computer Cave Mailbox

This is a bit of a late entry for the Black Beacon Books dark mystery anthology, MURDER AND MACHINERY: TALES OF TECHNOLOGICAL TERROR AND MECHANICAL MADNESS (see April 3, January 26, et al.), arriving earlier last week in my mailbox, albeit some time after publication. Per its back-cover blurb: MURDER AND MACHINERY is an anthology of suspense, science fiction, and steampunk showcasing the imagination of authors who know how to play on the reader’s fear of technology.

This is one I’ve been looking forward to, my part in it an opus called “Vanitas,” originally published in ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE, January 1996 (also reprinted in my first collection, STRANGE MISTRESSES: TALES OF WONDER AND ROMANCE, Dark Regions, 2001). For a bit more of flavor, quoting from an Amazon review by “RJPetyo” (which, yes, includes a mention of my story too): ­Some of my favorites were “A Whole New World,” by K. G. McAbee, which points out that technological improvements sometimes leave the “little guy” behind.

“Don,” by Steve DuBois, is a timely tale about energy producing windmills that sometimes seem to have a life of their own.

“Vanitas,” by James Dorr, tells of a church getting a new high-tech organ.

“Tenterhooks,” by Cameron Trost, is a particularly gruesome one. Maybe the less said about it, the better. Just make sure you’re comfortable and well fed when you read it.

“A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way,” by Christo Healy, deals with a super advanced “Alexa.” Considering the title of this anthology, you can guess how things go.

Finally, “Lenora,” by Danielle Birch, is a little more mellow story about a woman seeking love on the English coastline. She meets a mysterious British Lord and things get very, very interesting. This one is a moody Poe-like piece that I really enjoyed.

If interested and/or for ordering info) press here.