"The thing is, I know it’s a dream.
... but there’s nothing I can do."
Biblically accurate seraphim with southern accents. An ancient forest goddess, ready for revenge. Pirates, stranded at sea. A hunter, chased by nameless things. A city built on the stories of those who lived there. A loyal dog, separated from her family. A general, ready to bathe the land in blood. A woman traveling to the end of the universe.
Living shadows.
Lost souls.
And Kari, who just invited Death to dinner.
Different worlds, fresh horrors, and new stories all found in the dark hours between days. From the author of FRIGHTFULLY EVER AFTER, PULLING STRINGS, and VILLAINS NEVER DIE comes a unique collection of short stories.
Review:
I have been following Nick's writing for many years. I have read all of his books and I have found a uniqueness in his writing that in my opinion is like no others. I chuckled through "Frightfully Ever After", was chilled by "Pulling Strings", and entertained by his reverse superhero story "Villains Never Die." His debut collection is based on his dreams and his author's voice shines through each story. Prose that had me stopping and pondering my thoughts at the beauty that lies within the words.
16 short stories that will take you into a mind of dreaming in the night, written onto a page that include a mixture of genres.
Dream a Little Dream:
"Your love, stranger, still exists. Your story is not gone. The joy you felt in the moment of walking into that room, seeing your love unpacking, asking them where the books should go and watching them smile as they think about how to arrange the things of your life together, is not lost."
In a world of dreams, anything can happen. One can try to change the path, but it always creates its own and we are taken where it wants us to go.
Silent Sky:
"Walking the streets is like strolling between shelves in a library. This road here? Science fiction. There's Self-Help Avenue. The alleyways, cut with shadows and jagged light, soaked with scents of cooked meat and garbage, are horror stories. I only dare enjoy them during the day."
Nothing is as it seems and everything is a test of time and belief. Everyone has their own stories as they navigate life and eventually those stories come to an end.
"If the city is a collection of human stories, everyone here is an author in their own tale, and a character is someone else's."
What the Mountain Has to Offer:
"He told them he knew they spoke with stolen tongues, that the stories of his people still lived within him."
Ancient folklore, shapeshifters deep within the forest, native hunters, and the destruction of an ancient pact of peace and the broken promise of untouched lands.
My Favorite Little Spot in the Middle of Nowhen:
"Right now is now, but it's the same now for everyone who comes here. It is current, past, and present, all at once. It is all of time, and none of time, at the same time."
Dreams often take us to our favorite places. Places that linger in our memories. Places that provide comfort and happiness. But there are times when one misses what they are looking for as if life has already been written for them.
"Sometimes people just exist on different hands of the clock."
Along New Lines:
"This was a new station. She'd never ridden this line."
Just rolling along, trying to get where one needs to go. Trying to figure out the best way possible to get there in the least amount of time. But does it ever go as planned?
Rusty's Run:
"Strawberries and apples and dirt."
Pets are amazing, aren't they? This is Rusty's story, the undying loyalty and love she has for her owner. Her journey to find her owner after being separated during a disastrous event.
Harsh Lessons:
"We are who we are because our lives are hard. Our seas are rough and our land is unforgiving."
A harsh lesson learned by a hard hearted general. Not careful enough to keep his mouth shut, he learns quickly of betrayal.
Trouve:
"International company looking for able-bodied students willing to perform grueling manual labor in exchange for meager lodging and a pittance of a stipend. Come spend your summer in the cultural capital of the world, working hours which will leave you virtually no time to enjoy it. Work yourself to the bone in order to appease our stuck-up employees moving across the sea to work at the company's new France headquarters. Apply today, not because spots are limited, but because we’re desperate!"
A bone chilling ghost story. Memories held onto from the harsh life of a child, longing for release.
The Vine:
"He didn't usually feel anger, yet it lived with him all the time. A tiny, smoldering pile at the back of his heart. It was always lit, but little in his life made it burn. Not other people. Not the world around him. Only himself. His own mistakes. His flaws. That was the fuel his anger needed."
An allegory. The unrelenting vines in the garden of life that grow and grow and never want to let go. It takes root and burns there for many years until one day... let's go.
Between the Ropes:
An homage to a beloved coach. Cherished memories of boxing days gone by.
The Wheresit:
"Coins which tasted like need. Paperclips, rich with the hint of useful. Bits of paper, green and white, warm from their pockets, sweetened with greed."
I am not even sure how to describe this little creature. It's an interesting character with an interesting concept of all that is gathered in a home full of life. But also, lost items left behind to be gathered within the walls of a home that is lived in by different families and left behind, leaving emptiness and loneliness, only to be filled once again. Some things only have value for short periods of time and other things are cherished for life.
Goddess of the Forest:
A Kamiho, a character in Korean Folklore: A goddess of the forest and the night. A devourer of souls.
Called upon by one who has come to ask for help to rid her life of the man who is among the worst of men. One who takes and takes but never gives back. "You are a collection of stolen dreams." His evil deeds are now being visited upon him and he will now give back everything he has taken.
Threshold Intergalactic Cruise Services:
"Threshold Intergalactic Services is proud to present their latest venture; a voyage greater and grander than ever attempted. Join us...for the trip of a lifetime."
A highly exciting and anticipated trip through the universe does not go as planned and now everything hangs onto survival. (The ending of this one was chilling, I loved it!)
The Witch's Eye:
"That is because I am a member of Her Majesty's Navy, and not a flea-ridden, jolly rogering pirate who don't know his aft from his stern."
Pirates are among ye, aye they are, but there is more than meets the eye. Deep secrets threatened to be revealed that would change the loyalty of the sailors beholden to their captain. Some secrets are best kept as they are.
Behind the Hidden Door:
Things that go bump in the night. Creepy closets where monsters dwell. From childhood to adulthood, some things are best left alone.
Death at the Table:
If Death came knocking at your door, would you invite it in? Knowing that it may be the end or a change in the course of your life. No bargaining can make a difference. It has been invited in and now it will be answered to. Everything has a consequence in the end.
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