This issue starts off with an editorial from editor-in-chief K. Allen Wood, on the changes in the publishing industry and a move to embracing digital formats. He’s of the mind that ebooks will be a large part of the future of this industry, but that the physical codex format will never go away.
His most important point is that despite the format it comes in, readers still want to read books and short stories. Writers still write them, so whether it comes published as a paperback or in ebook form, readers want it.
The first short story of the issue is “Bop Kabula and Communist Jazz” by Tim Lieder. This tale is about a Korean polymath of sorts, but primarily a musician named Ed. K; the narrator seems both entranced and repulsed by him at the same time. He’s also a preacher, and the narrator is his driver. They pick up a scantily-clad hitchhiker but instead of committing foul acts, they drive quite a distance with her and then tell her to walk back the way she came. Ultimately, the girl comes back to screw Ed over and the tale ends. If you like biblical-influenced horror, you’ll enjoy this one.
Next we get “The Meat Forest,” which is a disturbing tale of a skinhead-like gang leader and his political interpretations that ultimately lead to human sacrifice.
There’s also an interview with D. Harlan Wilson, who is described as a tour de force of the Bizarro fiction movement. It’s a fascinating look into his psyche, how he became a writer, the humour in his writing, and his future projects — well worth the read. Fun fact: he’s fiercely into bodybuilding.
We get back into fiction with “Drift” by Amanda C. Davis, which is a story of a kid who feels the need to draw over the drawings of his classmates to “correct” them. He thinks snowflakes are insects that bit him. This is another great addition to the “what children are scared of comes true” plot.
On the poetry side, WC Roberts has a powerful poem. Book reviews include works by Daniel Pyle, Blake Butler, Jan Svanamajer, and film reviews, including “The Taint.”
Like previous issues of Shock Totem, the quality of the fiction is fantastic; all enjoyable tales. You will find some of the most compelling characters and plots between these pages.
The editor has also included an interview with Ghoultown artist Count Lyle, which will be hugely interesting to horror art fans.
Other notable things in the issue include Aaron Polson’s story, “Wanting It,” which concerns a cheating husband who suffers from nightmares. An equally powerful piece is “Eye, You,” which is all about the dangers of being addicted to machines and electronic devices (beware Twitter indeed).
“Bloodstains and Blue Suede Shoes” is a nonfiction piece that comments on music in horror, and it offers a historical examination. Also included is the 2010 flash fiction winning piece for Shock Totem’s contest. Another great feature of the magazine is that it includes a section at the end that lets each contributor explain what inspired him or her to come up with their pieces. Overall, Shock Totem continues to deliver on its promise of curious tales of the macabre and twisted. With previously unpublished stories from such scribes as John Skipp, Tim Leider, and S. Clayton Rhodes, you can’t go wrong.
- Enter, Night - January 4, 2012
- Shock Totem Issue 4 - November 15, 2011
- Through Shattered Glass - October 18, 2011
- Shock Totem Volume 3 - April 15, 2011
