The Scream & Other Dark Stories
I have to start out by saying that I never would have had this opportunity without the huge support of Buckman Publishing. I have worked with Buckman for a couple of years now as the Editor and Scout for the incredible Buckman Journal (check out the link above!) and when I approached the publisher with the idea of releasing a book of flash fiction and short stories, they were gung-ho in a way that a writer only dreams of.
The stories within this collection are dark, weird, and would probably offend my mom, even though none of it is about her.
Much of my work focuses on family and inherited trauma. My current feature script is an ancestral horror, past scripts touch on the effects of abuse and family secrets, and much of my other work tends to stare directly into the shadowy darkness of humanity.
I know, dreary stuff, but the truth is that we are dreary fucking mammals. Now that we are largely not in danger of extinction (largely, not entirely) it appears we need drama, tears, gnashing of teeth, all in order to avoid being bored. When things are calm, we seek unrest, when someone offers a man in need a dollar, they post it online in order to get pats on the ass. We are pretty fucked up, so why wouldn’t I emphasize that in my work?!
The Scream & Other Dark Stories is a collection of fourteen short stories.
In the titular “The Scream”, a journalist is forced into government mandated EMDR therapy in order to recover lost memories after a mysterious disease has infected the U.S. “Abigail Alone” sees a woman suffering after a betrayal. In “Mathias & LEENA”, a ghost finds unlikely love with a home computer system. “To Everything, Turn” introduces the reader to a family with a dark and powerful lineage on the day of the youngest brother’s transformation. In “Black Wings” a mother’s decision leads her into a pit of darkness that no mind could overcome.
These stories and more are accompanied by truly breathtaking illustrations by Sean Croghan. He read my stories and created a unique piece for each one based on his feelings upon reading. I thought the idea was great but could never have anticipated how great. The artwork captures the eerie, sorrowful, and often claustrophobic feelings that the stories elicit.
The Scream & Other Dark Stories will be released by Buckman Publishing on February 2nd.