Candy Cain Kills

The likely last #pbarb2023books entry c/o @brianmcwriter.bsky.social, it’s the seasonally appropriate Candy Cain Kills. Great thing about Brian is not only is he a good dude, he’s also a hell of a writer. The slasher vibes are real in this @shortwavebooks.bsky.social KILLER VHS book (a line I adore)

Earthdivers Vol 1

#pbarb2023books Earthdivers Vol. 1: Kill Columbus by @sgj.bsky.social & Davide Gianfelice & Joana Lafuente. Fantastic SGJ storytelling/worldbuilding brought to life by Gianfelice, Lafuente, et al. Complex characters, twists galore, and some good old-fashioned violence.

Abnormal Statistics

#pbarb2023books Abnormal Statistics by Max Booth III. A fantastic must-read collection. Horrifying, humorous, and heartbreaking. Max writes in a raw emotional way that hits the full spectrum of lived existence.

Things We Lost in the Fire

#pbarb2023books Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez. Just a damn good short story collection. Terrifying, panic-inducing horror.

McSweeney’s 71

#pbarb2023books McSweeney’s Issue 71: Horror Stories edited by #BrianEvenson. Overall great mix of stories with a killer one-two punch at the end c/o @gabino.bsky.social & @sgj.bsky.social. Now it’s been returned to the 3 slipcases of doom.

Some Trick by Helen DeWitt

#pbarb2023books Some Trick by Helen DeWitt. Really enjoyed the inventiveness of the stories in this collection. Using math and other systems besides conventional language, clever structures that feel like jokes made into literary fiction, etc.

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain

#pbarb2023books A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders. Glad I finally got to this book, a mix of close readings on the masters of Russian Lit and writing advice/insights from a modern master. Lots of great nuggets & plenty to re-visit.

Very worn copy of Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe.

#pbarb2023books Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe by Thomas Ligotti. My first Ligotti book-length work & it’s been well-loved. Enjoyed it, especially the slow burn unsettling of reality carried across the stories.

Nosferatu book

#pbarb2023books Nosferatu by Jim Shepard (c/o my local library). A moving fictionalized biography of FW Murnau. Longing radiates from between lines here. Heartbreaking lean prose especially in the diary sections.

The Mysteries

#pbarb2023books The Mysteries by Bill Watterson and John Kascht. What a delight to check in with Watterson after decades and see what he’s concerned about/thinking about! Should piss off folks who only know Calvin from peeing on stuff…

Melonhead Mayhem

#pbarb2023books Melonhead Mayhem by @alexebenstein.bsky.social (from @shortwavebooks.bsky.social ’s Killer VHS line). FUN creature feature that hits the ground running and doesn’t overstay its welcome. Really great start to the Killer VHS series.

Telling Lies for Fun & Profit cover

#pbarb2023books Telling Lies for Fun & Profit by Lawrence Block. Enjoyable, informative (even if some info is outdated) collection of Block’s writing articles. Plenty of useful nuggets in these easy to digest pieces.