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Love Letters to Poe
Love Letters to Poe: A Toast to Edgar Allan Poe
Take a tour through Poe’s Baltimore home, experience “The Tell-Tale Heart” through the old man’s eyes, go corporate at Raven Corp., witness “The Fall of the House of Usher” from the perspective of a hidden Usher sibling, and much more. Don’t miss the award-nominated stories “The Heart of Alderman Kane” by Eleanor Sciolistein and “Midnight Rider” by Melanie Cossey, 2021 nominees for Poe Baltimore’s Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards.
302 pages, Hardcover
First published September 9, 2021
About the author
Sara Crocoll Smith
24 books23 followersAuthor of the ghostly gothic horror series Hopeful Horror. Award-winning editor of Love Letters to Poe. (she/her)
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 13, 2021
I was delighted to receive a review copy of Love Letters to Poe because I’ve loved Poe’s gothic style since I was a teen, and the stories and poems of this anthology, inspired by Poe’s work, did not disappoint. With over fifty different pieces, it’s hard to choose favorites. But here are a few: Megargee’s “The Rowhouse” makes Poe’s brownstone a gothic character in a creative homage to Poe and the adage “make place a character.” Borman’s “Poisoned Honey and Pickled Pigs’ Feet,” is a Southern take on gothic and is written in beautifully spare prose. Gazaway’s “To Have and To Hold” is an inventive look at the fall of the House of Usher through the eyes of an unknown sibling. And the circular rhythms of A. A. Rubin’s poem “The Widow’s Walk,” beautifully echo the widow’s patterns.
While there is some unevenness in a few of the stories, this volume is a tribute to the master and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves gothic stories. Five stars.
While there is some unevenness in a few of the stories, this volume is a tribute to the master and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves gothic stories. Five stars.
September 12, 2024
“A servant of sorrow to the bitter end, and isn’t sorrow one of the most inspiring emotions of all?”
📚
Love Letters to Poe, Volume 1 collects poetry and short stories inspired by the Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. Originally released as a monthly gothic fiction magazine, this award-winning anthology is organized into 12 sections corresponding with the magazine’s original, themed issues: A Toast to Edgar Allan Poe, Blood is Thicker, Disciplines & Darkness, Everlasting Life, Memento Amori, Modern Gothic, Poe Reimagined, Midwestern & Southern Gothic, Your Body Is a Canvas, Weep for Me, Parenthood, and Don’t Look Behind You.
Works are distinct and varied, offering readers a range of styles, storylines, and themes to enjoy — all deliciously dark and deeply haunting — conjuring a fantastic celebration of and tribute to Poe’s inimitable life, work, and spirit, as well as an enduring haven for his fans. Of the 55 inclusions (7 poems and 48 short stories, two of which are award-nominated), this reader’s favorites include:
•“The Rowhouse” by Jeremy Megargee: An eerie and captivating tour through Poe’s Baltimore home, now The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum.
•“The Heart of Alderman Kane” by Eleanor Sciolistein: A grisly and chilling confession of vengeance, violence, shadows, and regret steeped in fear and foreboding.
•“The Thief of Eternal Delights” by Renee Cronley: An ominous, sumptuously gothic story of longing, love, risk, and eternity.
•“The Inheritance Thread” by Hailey Piper: A gruesome and mysterious fairy tale surrounding imposed silence, unquenchable curiosity, cryptic stitches, and lethal truths — absolutely gripping from start to (disquieting) finish!
•“Resurrectionist” by Robert Frank: A grim and morbid trip into the realm of Philadelphian corpse thieves and an exhumation gone terribly awry.
•“The Night, Forever, and Us” by Aeryn Rudel: A devastating and beautiful account of illness, mortality, devotion, choice, freedom, and perpetuity.
•“Morning Post” by Liam Hogan: A ghoulish and melancholy chronicle of connection, courtship, passion, and curio where like-minded souls descend into all-consuming mania.
•“The Bird Whisperer” by Richard Zwicker: A compulsively readable, utterly delightful reimagining of “The Raven” that glistens with gratifying Easter eggs and gallows humor.
•“To Have and to Hold” by Sharmon Gazaway: A creepy and creative House of Usher retelling involving a hidden sibling, inherited maladies, and spectral futures.
•“The Fall of the House of Poe” by Evan Baughfman: A nightmarish and riveting Poe-themed fusion of definitive fiction and desolate quasi-reality.
📚
Love Letters to Poe, Volume 1 collects poetry and short stories inspired by the Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe. Originally released as a monthly gothic fiction magazine, this award-winning anthology is organized into 12 sections corresponding with the magazine’s original, themed issues: A Toast to Edgar Allan Poe, Blood is Thicker, Disciplines & Darkness, Everlasting Life, Memento Amori, Modern Gothic, Poe Reimagined, Midwestern & Southern Gothic, Your Body Is a Canvas, Weep for Me, Parenthood, and Don’t Look Behind You.
Works are distinct and varied, offering readers a range of styles, storylines, and themes to enjoy — all deliciously dark and deeply haunting — conjuring a fantastic celebration of and tribute to Poe’s inimitable life, work, and spirit, as well as an enduring haven for his fans. Of the 55 inclusions (7 poems and 48 short stories, two of which are award-nominated), this reader’s favorites include:
•“The Rowhouse” by Jeremy Megargee: An eerie and captivating tour through Poe’s Baltimore home, now The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum.
•“The Heart of Alderman Kane” by Eleanor Sciolistein: A grisly and chilling confession of vengeance, violence, shadows, and regret steeped in fear and foreboding.
•“The Thief of Eternal Delights” by Renee Cronley: An ominous, sumptuously gothic story of longing, love, risk, and eternity.
•“The Inheritance Thread” by Hailey Piper: A gruesome and mysterious fairy tale surrounding imposed silence, unquenchable curiosity, cryptic stitches, and lethal truths — absolutely gripping from start to (disquieting) finish!
•“Resurrectionist” by Robert Frank: A grim and morbid trip into the realm of Philadelphian corpse thieves and an exhumation gone terribly awry.
•“The Night, Forever, and Us” by Aeryn Rudel: A devastating and beautiful account of illness, mortality, devotion, choice, freedom, and perpetuity.
•“Morning Post” by Liam Hogan: A ghoulish and melancholy chronicle of connection, courtship, passion, and curio where like-minded souls descend into all-consuming mania.
•“The Bird Whisperer” by Richard Zwicker: A compulsively readable, utterly delightful reimagining of “The Raven” that glistens with gratifying Easter eggs and gallows humor.
•“To Have and to Hold” by Sharmon Gazaway: A creepy and creative House of Usher retelling involving a hidden sibling, inherited maladies, and spectral futures.
•“The Fall of the House of Poe” by Evan Baughfman: A nightmarish and riveting Poe-themed fusion of definitive fiction and desolate quasi-reality.
June 12, 2022
Summary
‘Love Letters to Poe’ is an anthology compilation of 12 e-magazines containing 48 short stories and 7 poems from 55 authors. Each of the “chapters” has an Edgar Allan Poe-esq theme, some of which are, Everlasting Life, Modern Gothics, Poe Reimagined, Southern Gothics, and Disciplines & Darkness. Each story and poem is delicately crafted to pay homage to the master himself, Mr. Edgar Allan Poe.
Thoughts
When Sara Crocoll Smith asked if I would be interested in this anthology of tributes to Edgar Allan Poe, my inner teen goth self was doing backflips. While I’m not going to review one particular story, some of my favorites from this collection are “The Heart of Alderman Kane”, “Midnight Rider”, “The Night, Forever, and Us”, “The Taste of Bourbon”, and “The Walking Widow” amongst others.
‘Love Letters to Poe’ contains writings with themes of death, despair, suspense, grief, loss and romance while engaging the readers with the utilization of dreary imagery and vivid settings (as any homage to Poe should). The collection itself has this wonderfully creeping, foreboding, whimsical and dream-like feel to it that any fan of Poe will appreciate.
I’d highly recommend this collection to any fans of Poe or Gothic Literature and Dark Romanticism in and of itself, or people who want to explore samplings from a wide array of writers. It is so cool to be able to sample so many stories from so many authors at once. ‘Love Letters to Poe’ would be the perfect companion on any dark and dreary night. This book is a tribute to the master of mystery and the macabre and it delivers in every way.
‘Love Letters to Poe’ is an anthology compilation of 12 e-magazines containing 48 short stories and 7 poems from 55 authors. Each of the “chapters” has an Edgar Allan Poe-esq theme, some of which are, Everlasting Life, Modern Gothics, Poe Reimagined, Southern Gothics, and Disciplines & Darkness. Each story and poem is delicately crafted to pay homage to the master himself, Mr. Edgar Allan Poe.
Thoughts
When Sara Crocoll Smith asked if I would be interested in this anthology of tributes to Edgar Allan Poe, my inner teen goth self was doing backflips. While I’m not going to review one particular story, some of my favorites from this collection are “The Heart of Alderman Kane”, “Midnight Rider”, “The Night, Forever, and Us”, “The Taste of Bourbon”, and “The Walking Widow” amongst others.
‘Love Letters to Poe’ contains writings with themes of death, despair, suspense, grief, loss and romance while engaging the readers with the utilization of dreary imagery and vivid settings (as any homage to Poe should). The collection itself has this wonderfully creeping, foreboding, whimsical and dream-like feel to it that any fan of Poe will appreciate.
I’d highly recommend this collection to any fans of Poe or Gothic Literature and Dark Romanticism in and of itself, or people who want to explore samplings from a wide array of writers. It is so cool to be able to sample so many stories from so many authors at once. ‘Love Letters to Poe’ would be the perfect companion on any dark and dreary night. This book is a tribute to the master of mystery and the macabre and it delivers in every way.
November 1, 2023
Despite a relatively short life, Edgar Allen Poe was a prolific writer of uncanny and morbid poetry and short fiction, and he continues to impact speculative fiction writers long after his death.
Inspired by a love of Gothic fiction, Sara Crocoll Smith, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Love Letters to Poe, hopes to encourage other writers to read and write original gothic fiction. Love Letters to Poe started as a magazine divided into twelve issues each centralized around a different theme. These 55 original pieces (48 short stories and 7 poems) were later collected in Love Letters to Poe, Volume 1: A Toast to Edgar Allan Poe.
Because all the pieces are inspired by Poe, the anthology has excellent consistency. Though there’s a lot of variation in tone, from the humorous to the extremely morbid, the details, settings, and characters throughout the anthology combine to create a fresh new collection of gothic writing.
These are all stories and poems that I think Poe would’ve enjoyed and been flattered by. In fact, Poe Baltimore agrees: two of the stories in the anthology, “The Heart of Alderman Kane” by Eleanor Sciolistein and “Midnight Rider” by Melanie Cossey were nominated for the Saturday ‘Visiter” Awards in the “Original Works Inspired by E.A. Poe’s Life and Writing” Category.
There were many, many excellent pieces throughout this anthology, and it is, always, hard to choose favorites. That being said, I’ve written up a brief overview of a few of the stories by some “horrible” women contributors which I particularly enjoyed. You can see those below. Grab a copy of the anthology for yourself and let us know what your favorite Poe-esque pieces were!
*
Award nominated Stories:
The Heart of Alderman Kane by Eleanor Sciolistein
Overview: The narrator confesses what happened when he turned to sorcery to achieve vengeance against his enemy, Alderman Kane.
A Memorable Quote: “My hope, is that by making this confession I may find some measure of forgiveness for my transgressions. For I assure you, dear reader, that though they may test the bounds of credulity, the things I have written are in all regards faithful to the truth.”
Sciolistein’s story will thrill fans of “The Tell-Tale Heart” and reads like Poe himself wrote it.
*
Midnight Rider by Melanie Cossey
Overview: Hayden adores the beautiful Annabelle, and he’s willing to give her anything she desires to prove his love, even a dangerous stallion.
A Memorable Quote: “But another shriek cut through the tomb-like silence, halting my steps—the deep and urgent nicker of a horse. My mind stalled as my innards twisted, throwing me into a terror I had never known.”
All fans of Poe know the poem “Annabel Lee,” but who was Annabel when she was still alive, and who was her beloved? Cossey’s story reads like the prequel to Poe’s famous poem.
*
Other Stories:
The Inheritance Thread by Hailey Piper
Overview: Priscilla’s mother cannot speak because her lips are sewn shut. When neither of her parents can satisfactorily explain why this is necessary, Priscilla decides she will liberate her mother from forced silence no matter the cost.
A Memorable Quote: “Father never told me why he made Mother sew her lips shut. He did it before I was born, and I had to find out his reasons for myself.”
A chilling story about legacy, agency, and growing up. Be sure to check out Piper’s other work, especially The Worm and His Kings and The Queen of Teeth.
*
The Disappearance of Alice Harper by Jelena Dunato
Overview: Alice Harper is ill: so her family keeps telling her. But when she’s confined to her room, Alice starts to suspect that her husband and her sister are lying to her and plotting something sinister.
A Memorable Quote: “If I were dead, they could marry and live happily ever after. But I have other plans.”
A quiet story about grief and illness reminiscent of “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Dunato primarily writes speculative fiction and is working on a debut novel.
*
Ember’s Last Light, Reflected by Emeline Marie Beauchêne
Overview: The unnamed narrator waits for midnight so she can ask a mysterious mirror which only tells the truth for absolution from a hideous crime.
A Memorable Quote: “Like most, I dwell in the gloam of ambient twilight without true comprehension. The mirror, however, shows absolute truth. I cannot hide in its reflection.”
In an interview, Beauchêne says that this work of psychological and existential horror was inspired by “The Raven” and “Annabel Lee.”
*
To Have and to Hold by Sharmon Gazaway
Overview: A retelling of “The Fall of the House of Usher” from the perspective of Gazaway’s original character Marilla, the illegitimate sister of the ill-fated Roderick and Madeline. Will her ending be any better than her half-siblings?
A Memorable Quote: “The ghosts dissolve like sun on fog when I encounter them. They accept me as one of their own, sense that I too am restless, a phantom of who I could be.”
Gazaway writes speculative and literary fiction and poetry. Her writing has made me eager for more House of Usher inspired stories.
*
Smudge by Clio Velentza
Overview: Though she’s born to a life of privilege, Lore is happiest when she’s painting, and she resents being a patroness and hostess to an artist sent by her father.
A Memorable Quote: “Driven by a half-superstitious, half-sensual urge, Lore leans in and kisses the portrait right on the visible side of its plump, dark mouth. The kiss leaves a smudge but she prefers it like this, incomplete.”
Velentza has published works in both Greek and English and is a Pushcart nominee.
*
Soul Intentionally Sold by Ellen Huang
Overview: A poem about choosing to dream of darker, more dangerous things which will speak to the heart of any reader or writer of horror or dark fiction. Huang’s poem is clearly influenced by her love of speculative fiction, from fairy tales to horror. She writes fiction and poetry and is working on several longer works.
A Memorable Stanza:
“in my dreams I choose the touch of smoke
taped over my mouth and materializing me away
rather than the sun in a friend’s selfless open arms.”
*
Lady of the Bleeding Heart by Colleen Anderson
Overview: Obsessive, unrequited love may come in many varieties, but it’s almost always destructive.
A Memorable Quote: “Purity cloaked her, her head always covered, as if protecting her from the rain of tears that pewtered the sky. She never spoke to me but I knew she made me promises nonetheless; and she never rejected me.”
Colleen is an editor and an award-winning poet and short-story writer with a collection of short fiction, A Body of Work, published by Black Shuck Books.
Inspired by a love of Gothic fiction, Sara Crocoll Smith, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Love Letters to Poe, hopes to encourage other writers to read and write original gothic fiction. Love Letters to Poe started as a magazine divided into twelve issues each centralized around a different theme. These 55 original pieces (48 short stories and 7 poems) were later collected in Love Letters to Poe, Volume 1: A Toast to Edgar Allan Poe.
Because all the pieces are inspired by Poe, the anthology has excellent consistency. Though there’s a lot of variation in tone, from the humorous to the extremely morbid, the details, settings, and characters throughout the anthology combine to create a fresh new collection of gothic writing.
These are all stories and poems that I think Poe would’ve enjoyed and been flattered by. In fact, Poe Baltimore agrees: two of the stories in the anthology, “The Heart of Alderman Kane” by Eleanor Sciolistein and “Midnight Rider” by Melanie Cossey were nominated for the Saturday ‘Visiter” Awards in the “Original Works Inspired by E.A. Poe’s Life and Writing” Category.
There were many, many excellent pieces throughout this anthology, and it is, always, hard to choose favorites. That being said, I’ve written up a brief overview of a few of the stories by some “horrible” women contributors which I particularly enjoyed. You can see those below. Grab a copy of the anthology for yourself and let us know what your favorite Poe-esque pieces were!
*
Award nominated Stories:
The Heart of Alderman Kane by Eleanor Sciolistein
Overview: The narrator confesses what happened when he turned to sorcery to achieve vengeance against his enemy, Alderman Kane.
A Memorable Quote: “My hope, is that by making this confession I may find some measure of forgiveness for my transgressions. For I assure you, dear reader, that though they may test the bounds of credulity, the things I have written are in all regards faithful to the truth.”
Sciolistein’s story will thrill fans of “The Tell-Tale Heart” and reads like Poe himself wrote it.
*
Midnight Rider by Melanie Cossey
Overview: Hayden adores the beautiful Annabelle, and he’s willing to give her anything she desires to prove his love, even a dangerous stallion.
A Memorable Quote: “But another shriek cut through the tomb-like silence, halting my steps—the deep and urgent nicker of a horse. My mind stalled as my innards twisted, throwing me into a terror I had never known.”
All fans of Poe know the poem “Annabel Lee,” but who was Annabel when she was still alive, and who was her beloved? Cossey’s story reads like the prequel to Poe’s famous poem.
*
Other Stories:
The Inheritance Thread by Hailey Piper
Overview: Priscilla’s mother cannot speak because her lips are sewn shut. When neither of her parents can satisfactorily explain why this is necessary, Priscilla decides she will liberate her mother from forced silence no matter the cost.
A Memorable Quote: “Father never told me why he made Mother sew her lips shut. He did it before I was born, and I had to find out his reasons for myself.”
A chilling story about legacy, agency, and growing up. Be sure to check out Piper’s other work, especially The Worm and His Kings and The Queen of Teeth.
*
The Disappearance of Alice Harper by Jelena Dunato
Overview: Alice Harper is ill: so her family keeps telling her. But when she’s confined to her room, Alice starts to suspect that her husband and her sister are lying to her and plotting something sinister.
A Memorable Quote: “If I were dead, they could marry and live happily ever after. But I have other plans.”
A quiet story about grief and illness reminiscent of “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Dunato primarily writes speculative fiction and is working on a debut novel.
*
Ember’s Last Light, Reflected by Emeline Marie Beauchêne
Overview: The unnamed narrator waits for midnight so she can ask a mysterious mirror which only tells the truth for absolution from a hideous crime.
A Memorable Quote: “Like most, I dwell in the gloam of ambient twilight without true comprehension. The mirror, however, shows absolute truth. I cannot hide in its reflection.”
In an interview, Beauchêne says that this work of psychological and existential horror was inspired by “The Raven” and “Annabel Lee.”
*
To Have and to Hold by Sharmon Gazaway
Overview: A retelling of “The Fall of the House of Usher” from the perspective of Gazaway’s original character Marilla, the illegitimate sister of the ill-fated Roderick and Madeline. Will her ending be any better than her half-siblings?
A Memorable Quote: “The ghosts dissolve like sun on fog when I encounter them. They accept me as one of their own, sense that I too am restless, a phantom of who I could be.”
Gazaway writes speculative and literary fiction and poetry. Her writing has made me eager for more House of Usher inspired stories.
*
Smudge by Clio Velentza
Overview: Though she’s born to a life of privilege, Lore is happiest when she’s painting, and she resents being a patroness and hostess to an artist sent by her father.
A Memorable Quote: “Driven by a half-superstitious, half-sensual urge, Lore leans in and kisses the portrait right on the visible side of its plump, dark mouth. The kiss leaves a smudge but she prefers it like this, incomplete.”
Velentza has published works in both Greek and English and is a Pushcart nominee.
*
Soul Intentionally Sold by Ellen Huang
Overview: A poem about choosing to dream of darker, more dangerous things which will speak to the heart of any reader or writer of horror or dark fiction. Huang’s poem is clearly influenced by her love of speculative fiction, from fairy tales to horror. She writes fiction and poetry and is working on several longer works.
A Memorable Stanza:
“in my dreams I choose the touch of smoke
taped over my mouth and materializing me away
rather than the sun in a friend’s selfless open arms.”
*
Lady of the Bleeding Heart by Colleen Anderson
Overview: Obsessive, unrequited love may come in many varieties, but it’s almost always destructive.
A Memorable Quote: “Purity cloaked her, her head always covered, as if protecting her from the rain of tears that pewtered the sky. She never spoke to me but I knew she made me promises nonetheless; and she never rejected me.”
Colleen is an editor and an award-winning poet and short-story writer with a collection of short fiction, A Body of Work, published by Black Shuck Books.
June 29, 2022
I'm a huge fan of Gothic and Victorian tales and Sara Crocoll Smith made sure to provide me once again, one of the most wonderful collection in the genre.
The author was awesome enough to send me a copy of, 'Love Letters to Poe', for review.
If you love Edgar Allan Poe's tales of the weird and macabre then you will fall in love with the spooky atmospherics this collection has to offer.
Packed with tasty horror bites spanning in 48 stories and 7 poems this one is guaranteed to keep you lovely spooky company through the night.
Sarah Crocoll Smith does an excellent job editing and bringing together this bouquet of wonderful horrors from a wide list of authors, of whom I would definitely like to read more stories.
If you can keep your eyes away from the fantastic book cover artwork then you will discover yourself some truly wonderful horror gems including my top favorites 'The Night, Forever, and Us', a vampire story with a twisty bite, 'Her Fondest Wish' by Jared Baker, 'The Heart of Alderman Kane' by Eleanor Sciolistein and 'Midnight Rider' by Melanie Cossey.
Trust me you will feel the chills down your spine as these stories will immerse you in a world of beautiful dread and eerie atmospherics, enough to make you jump to the tiniest sound heard in the middle of the night.
Best enjoyed with a glass of wine and candlelight, this collection is a must have for every horror fan.
The author was awesome enough to send me a copy of, 'Love Letters to Poe', for review.
If you love Edgar Allan Poe's tales of the weird and macabre then you will fall in love with the spooky atmospherics this collection has to offer.
Packed with tasty horror bites spanning in 48 stories and 7 poems this one is guaranteed to keep you lovely spooky company through the night.
Sarah Crocoll Smith does an excellent job editing and bringing together this bouquet of wonderful horrors from a wide list of authors, of whom I would definitely like to read more stories.
If you can keep your eyes away from the fantastic book cover artwork then you will discover yourself some truly wonderful horror gems including my top favorites 'The Night, Forever, and Us', a vampire story with a twisty bite, 'Her Fondest Wish' by Jared Baker, 'The Heart of Alderman Kane' by Eleanor Sciolistein and 'Midnight Rider' by Melanie Cossey.
Trust me you will feel the chills down your spine as these stories will immerse you in a world of beautiful dread and eerie atmospherics, enough to make you jump to the tiniest sound heard in the middle of the night.
Best enjoyed with a glass of wine and candlelight, this collection is a must have for every horror fan.
March 2, 2023
A surprising amount of variety for an anthology with such a specific theme. Any fan of gothic and/or horror will find something to love here, but readers who have a special place in their hearts for Poe's work will find even more to enjoy.
December 12, 2023
This was a super fun read. Poe Reimagined was my favorite set of stories.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews