We have a lot of creepy unsettling stories and essays for you this month. We have four amazing new stories in this issue: “What is Lost, What is Claimed, What Remains Unretrieved” by Avra Margariti—a harrowing clown story; “Momentary Brightness” by Robert Helfst—a stargazing body horror tale that is quite original; “Pile” by Martin Cahill—a truly unsettling bit of body horror; and “The Amassing Man” by David Corse—a fascinating weird western rippling with horror. You may be sensing a theme this month. As for reprints, we have three fantastic stories: “You Must Cut It From You” by Andrew Kozma—a visceral ghost story; “B Sharp Minor, or The Suicide Choir: An Oral History” by Gemma Files—a recent favorite of mine, so unique and one of the best epistolary stories I’ve read in some time; and “In Pursuit of the Black Chuck Wagon” by Michael Boulerice—a brutal folk horror woven into a terrifying western. We have two original non-fiction essays this month: “Horror and Romance in Films: The Perfect Marriage” by Emma Cole and “The Horror of Isolation: Exploring Solitude and Madness in Horror Fiction” by Staci Layne Wilson. Both essays are fascinating reads. And finally, our two non-fiction reprints are: “Mastering the Metaphor” by Melissa Burkley and “You Are Not Your Writing” by Angela Slatter. Great advice from both authors here. Cover art this month is by the always exciting, and perennial favorite, Lynne Hansen. Enjoy!
—Richard Thomas
Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director