The Surreal Grotesque - Halloween Issue

The Halloween issue of The Surreal Grotesque is out today (Issue 6). It includes my short story "In Our Hearts," a tale in which deceased loved ones live on in people's hearts more than in just the usual figurative sense. This one starts out darkly absurd--a little comical even--then moves in a decidedly creepy direction. It's a tad different from most of the other fare I've been producing of late.

Or not.

And check out that moaning, hooded zombie pictured to the left of my story--dude's all like, "AWWWWWWWWWW!!!"

Issue 6 also inlcudes other macabre short stories and poetry, interviews with Ray Garton and Kathe Koja, a specical feature on the Slender Man mythos, book and video game reviews, articles about Halloween related topics, disturbing artwork on damn near every other page, and other fun Halloweeny stuff. The Surreal Grotesque is edited by Danny Gonzales.

http://www.surrealgrotesque.com/
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Published on October 16, 2012 17:22 Tags: the-surreal-grotesque
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message 1: by [deleted user] (new)

Wow! Such wonderful imagery, so many questions -- really amazing!


message 2: by Douglas (new)

Douglas Hackle Thanks, Lea!

Yeah, this one leaves much untold. Like, for instance, where did that "thing" come from? And how/when did it come into the husband's life? For a moment I flirted with the idea of writing a slightly longer story that explored and at least partially answered those sort of questions, but ultimately I opted to go with a shorter, open-ended, explain-nothing sort of piece.


message 3: by [deleted user] (new)

Do YOU know what the "thing" is and where it came from? I always wonder if authors have all the details in mind, or if it is sometimes a mystery even to them . . .


message 4: by Douglas (new)

Douglas Hackle Yeah, I often wonder the same thing.

But to answer your question: yes and no. While I definitely have my own ideas about the possible origin of the "thing," and I even have a notion of the backstory concerning the husband's discovery and acquistion of it, once I decided to treat the thing as an intentionally ambiguous MacGuffin (kind of like the briefcase in Pulp Fiction), I never bothered to flesh those ideas out. In any case, my ideas about it are just as valid as yours or any other reader's, and I believe this is the sort of story where the reader's imagination can fill in the blanks (if the reader feels the urge to do so).


message 5: by Shamus (new)

Shamus McCarty YOU CAN'T LIKE YOUR OWN BLOG POST! I still love you though buddy, let's hug and make up.


message 6: by Shamus (new)

Shamus McCarty Whoa, that was weird and really good. I want to make love to that thing now...


message 7: by [deleted user] (new)

Etienne wrote: "Whoa, that was weird and really good. I want to make love to that thing now..."

That's an image that will be difficult to forget.


message 8: by Douglas (new)

Douglas Hackle Etienne wrote: "YOU CAN'T LIKE YOUR OWN BLOG POST! I still love you though buddy, let's hug and make up."

Damn, thanks for calling that to my attention. I'd meant to click the "hate" button instead.


message 9: by Shamus (new)

Shamus McCarty Lea wrote: "That's an image that will be difficult to forget."

I'm just sayin, that thing's got it going on.


message 10: by Shamus (new)

Shamus McCarty Douglas wrote: "Damn, thanks for calling that to my attention. I'd meant to click the "hate" button instead."

I do the same thing all the time.


message 11: by Douglas (new)

Douglas Hackle Etienne wrote: "Lea wrote: "That's an image that will be difficult to forget."

I'm just sayin, that thing's got it going on."


Etienne, you know if you REALLY think that thing's got it going on, consider making one for yourself, dolla. It probably wouldn't be all that difficult. Now I know your Farmer Bob's ass can make a damn scarecrow. And I know you have a least a couple spare blow-up dolls lying around. Hardest part will probably be getting the wasps to nest in the blow-up doll's head, but I have faith in you, slice.


message 12: by Shamus (new)

Shamus McCarty Douglas wrote: "Etienne, you know if you REALLY think that thing's got it going on, c..."

More then a couple, I got a few. My theory on the thing: Dude was in Europe, came across Hitler's love doll in some cave while spelunking. Turns out that the SS Occult Program made for the HNIC. He fell in love cuz it has a succubus stuck inside or something.


message 13: by Douglas (new)

Douglas Hackle Etienne wrote: "More then a couple, I got a few. My theory on the thing: Dude was in Europe, came across Hitler's love dol..."

Hmm, not bad--not bad at all. (Oh, and thanks for reading the story by the way.)

Nevertheless, the thing's true origin and backstory are secrets I shall take with me to the grave. Moo hoo ha ha ha ha ha........


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