L: "Notebook Found in a Deserted House" art by Matt Fox; R: "Sticks" art by Lee Brown Coye
The other day, friend and fellow writer Joe Maddrey sent me a note wondering if I might have some short story recommendations apt for the Halloween season. More than I can count, actually, but I figured I'd focus on a couple of stories I found pivotal in my descent into horror madness.
My perennial favorites are probably Karl Edward Wagner's "Sticks" and Robert Bloch's "Notebook Found in a Deserted House." Both are among the most atmospheric, dread-laden tales I can think of.
"Notebook Found in a Deserted House" may be the most memorable because it's the story that drew me to Lovecraftian/cosmic horror in the first place. When I was a senior at the University of Georgia, a good friend had a pile of the old H. P. Lovecraft/Cthulhu Mythos paperbacks, which he thought I might like. I said I'd take a look, so he gave the lot of them to me. At the time, I lived out in the sticks in a fairly secluded house with five other people, and the night I started delving into those books, I was the only one at home (which was exceedingly rare). "Notebook" was the first of the stories I read, and I was smitten. I stayed up most of the night reading those books because — for the first time since I was a kid — I didn't like the idea of turning off the light and trying to sleep.
It was around that time that I read "Sticks" as well. Another friend of mine at college, Lew Hartman (a fantasy artist), was a devoted Wagner fan and introduced me to Karl's work. "Sticks" stood out as my favorite, but I read his Kane books and stories, and later, many of his other tales. Back when I was producing Deathrealm magazine, I got to know Karl, as he wrote a column for the magazine. In the early 90s, Karl, Lew, and I were all guests at a convention in South Carolina, so it was a real pleasure to introduce Lew to Karl in person, especially since he'd introduced me to Karl's work. Sadly, my friend Lew died a few years after Karl did.
There are plenty of other great stories for the Halloween season — just about any of Lovecraft's classics (my favorites include "The Dunwich Horror," "Call of Cthulhu," "The Whisperer in Darkness," "Dreams in the Witch House," "Haunter of the Dark," and numerous others), Manly Wade Wellman's "The Desrick on Yandro," Michael Shea's "Fat Face," Jeffrey Osier's "The Encyclopedia for Boys," and F. Paul Wilson's "The Barrens," just to name a few. These don't even scratch the surface, but as far as I'm concerned, a damn good start.
My perennial favorites are probably Karl Edward Wagner's "Sticks" and Robert Bloch's "Notebook Found in a Deserted House." Both are among the most atmospheric, dread-laden tales I can think of.
"Notebook Found in a Deserted House" may be the most memorable because it's the story that drew me to Lovecraftian/cosmic horror in the first place. When I was a senior at the University of Georgia, a good friend had a pile of the old H. P. Lovecraft/Cthulhu Mythos paperbacks, which he thought I might like. I said I'd take a look, so he gave the lot of them to me. At the time, I lived out in the sticks in a fairly secluded house with five other people, and the night I started delving into those books, I was the only one at home (which was exceedingly rare). "Notebook" was the first of the stories I read, and I was smitten. I stayed up most of the night reading those books because — for the first time since I was a kid — I didn't like the idea of turning off the light and trying to sleep.
It was around that time that I read "Sticks" as well. Another friend of mine at college, Lew Hartman (a fantasy artist), was a devoted Wagner fan and introduced me to Karl's work. "Sticks" stood out as my favorite, but I read his Kane books and stories, and later, many of his other tales. Back when I was producing Deathrealm magazine, I got to know Karl, as he wrote a column for the magazine. In the early 90s, Karl, Lew, and I were all guests at a convention in South Carolina, so it was a real pleasure to introduce Lew to Karl in person, especially since he'd introduced me to Karl's work. Sadly, my friend Lew died a few years after Karl did.
There are plenty of other great stories for the Halloween season — just about any of Lovecraft's classics (my favorites include "The Dunwich Horror," "Call of Cthulhu," "The Whisperer in Darkness," "Dreams in the Witch House," "Haunter of the Dark," and numerous others), Manly Wade Wellman's "The Desrick on Yandro," Michael Shea's "Fat Face," Jeffrey Osier's "The Encyclopedia for Boys," and F. Paul Wilson's "The Barrens," just to name a few. These don't even scratch the surface, but as far as I'm concerned, a damn good start.
