Spec Fic Recs from September
11 Oct
I’m kind of a day late on these, but I’ve been oddly busy (oddly because I’m never really busy, let’s face it), and this week I’m having company. If little brothers count as company.
One of the reasons I love fall is that it’s the best season for Things Creepy– yes, it’s true, every season is creepy around here, but there are shades of gray. But this month there was a load of good stuff to be found (as usual), and only about half of it was as creepy as I expected. I’mma jump right into it.
So everyone and their uncle has linked this story over the last month, but let me add my own to the list, because it’s just that good. One of the best things I read in September was Issue 4 of The Battered Suitcase, in which can be found Reciprocity by Aaron Polson. The style and structure are practically shiny in this one– deceptively gentle in tone, emotional without cramming things down your throat. It’s speculative, but I’d be unwilling to try and categorize it further. Cool story though, for multiple reasons that I can’t discuss for fear of giving something away. But give it a shot if you haven’t already.
Next comes The Spider and the Contrabass by J.F. Peterson in issue 4 of a really cool e-zine called New Myths.com. The writing is of course solid, but the cleverness of the imagined future is what really made this one stand out for me this month. Maybe it has something to do with being from a family full of musicians-by-profession, but the pretty combination of an old skiffy theme (technology outstripping humanity) and classical music (I’m kind of a Romantic era girl myself, but you know, classical as an overarching genre) struck me as irresistible. Character-driven sci-fi is always a win with me, though.
This month’s Necrotic Tissue continued last month’s love; exploring the many and varied faces of horror. There’s much goodness to be had here, including a piece by the previously mentioned Aaron Polson and a particularly gory redneck horrorfest by JP Wilson. Then it has the fabulous winners of their 1st Annual 100 Word Bites Contest (including Natalie L. Sin‘s Miss Molly’s Scarecrow), and the Horror Haiku winners (Natalie’s in there too, and also Barry Napier. Wooo, Graveside Tales Crew swarms over NT!) lots of yummy little bites of shiver-inducing, cleverly executed, often funny horror.
I really need to specifically recommend Jonathan Pinnock‘s After Michelangelo [link goes to pdf download page, get the issue and you'll find this story on pg. 21], this time around. Another combination of several of my favorite things, this one has art (my family are musicians, but I’m an art historian!) and creepy obsession. This one won’t be shocking to anyone who knows me. But give it a shot, if you’re looking for somewhere to get your feet wet in this treasure-trove of an issue. It’s my kind of delicious.
And last, something a little different. I always enjoy Les Bonnes Fees, an impressive and newish e-zine of folklore and fairy tales. September’s issue has the lovely The Ifreet Father by Teresa Noelle Roberts. It’s written in that dreamy fairy tale style, but edging on literary. She brings in elements from Islamic Spain– which I really adore and have been thinking of a lot lately– and middle eastern tales in the vein of Sinbad, Ali Baba, etc. The cultural touches are beautiful, and some of her sentences are just these perfect little jewels. If you like that kind of thing, you’ll definitely like this.
What’d I miss out on this time?
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Now playing: Buzzcocks – Just Lust
posted with FoxyTunes
I’m valiently trying to print out Necrotic Tissue as we speak. Eventually I like to think that the printer will cooperate.
Ooh, another mention for Aaron’s story. Good stuff.
I haven’t read the full issue of Necrotic Tissue yet (not even all the 100 worders) – I’ve slapped my own wrist.
Thanks for the plug. I never know what will happen to the little stories when they leave the nest…
@Natalie – Ha! Good lord, that must take an age… but I’ll bet it looks awful pretty once you get it.
Cate – It’s so good, isn’t it (both the story and the magazine
)?
Aaron – That’s so fun, seeing where they land. One of the coolest things about this game.
Jonathan – Dammit, your comment disappeared. I’m going to go search for it, but thanks for stopping by, and thanks for an awesome read.
I’m glad you liked the story, and thanks for the kind words. New Myths is a fun place to publish with an interesting mix of writers. You’ll be seeing more of my work there in the future.
Hey there, glad you could stop by! I look forward to seeing more– both of you and New Myths!
These are great.