Mark Twain, who knew whereof he spoke, wrote that the difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between the lightning and the lightning-bug. This is true, and it’s even more so with dialogue. You can get across what a character would say, and tell your story. Or you can, every […]
Today’s short story you absolutely ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY have to read: “Better You Believe,” by Carole Johnstone, first published in HORROR LIBRARY VOLUME 6, author and publication both previously unknown to me. It is the opening story of Ellen Datlow’s THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR VOL 10, first tale I’ve read in that collection. The […]
Originally published on Facebook 22 May 2017. Things hilarious in retrospect: when answering machines, the precursor of voice mail, were new, the outgoing messages people set were laborious explanations of the process. Remember your cool bachelor Uncle with all the gadgets who was the first person you knew to have one, how carefully he enunciated […]
