It’s publication day for volume 8 of the excellent Shadows & Tall Trees anthology series. Stories from the past issues of this series have prominently featured in year’s bests and award shortlists, and Queen of the Horror Anthology, Ellen Datlow, herself said:
“Shadows and Tall Trees epitomizes the idea of, and is the most consistent venue for weird, usually dark fiction. Well worth your time.”
All of which is to say S&TT is a series I’ve admired for a long time, so I’m hugely proud that my little story of expat alienation and the tumshie-lantern realness of the traditional Scottish hallowe’en, Down To The Roots, features in this issue along side the work of writers I admire (including M Rickert, Brian Evenson, Alison Littlewood, James Everington, VH Leslie, Simon Stranzas and a whole load more).
I wrote about the seasonal inspiration behind Down To The Roots last hallowe’en, but the story also features some thoughts on the precarious nature of rural communities, the alienation you sometimes feel going back to them after years away, and the surprising sense of lingering duty that you might find catching you unawares. But mainly it’s about a creepy Scottish town and its particularly strange hallowe’en rituals.
Turnips are carved. Blood is spilled.
I hope you enjoy it.
If you like the best in creepy stories, you grab hold of this book and not ever let it out of your sight. You can get the ebook from Amazon US/UK or the physical version (and the hardcover is absolutely gorgeous!) from Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Amazonor – best for everyone – the publisher, Undertow Publications.
ayeahmur 