One of the great things about the world we live in now is the algorithm that knows what you have read and then recommends new releases for you. Last weekend I was alerted to the release of a new collection of urban fantasy short stories called “Hex Life” edited by Christopher Golden and Rachel Autumn Deering.
What initially attracts me to these books are new stories from authors I already read. What always happens after finishing is, I have a new list of authors who I start reading. These books are the literary equivalents of movie trailers. They give me a sense of the style of the author’s storytelling while making me want more. Hex Life introduced me to two authors I want more of.
The first is author Angela Slatter. Her contribution to Hex Life is the short story “Widows’ Walk”. In the narrative we meet the three witches, aka The Widows, of the town of Mercy’s Brook. The town knows they are witches, but we are told they are accepted if not wholeheartedly. One of the Widows finds it amusing when townsfolk cross the street when they see her coming. They capture a young child trying to steal milk off their porch. Once the Widows have the child inside, we realize they know much about her home life. Ms. Slatter tells a classic short story of supernatural karma. I enjoyed it so much I have the three books in her Verity Fassbinder trilogy queued up.
The other new discovery was author Hilary Monahan. Her story is called “Bless Your Heart”. The witch mother of a gay son takes the matter of her child’s bullying to the PTO meeting of the school. Ms. Monahan also weaves a witchy tale of karmic balance with a large helping of humor. The ending is perfect. I am looking forward to reading her book “Snake Eyes”.
These are my favorite stories, but my hat is off to Mr. Golden and Ms. Deering they have overseen a collection of witch stories just in time for Halloween.
Disclosure: I purchased this book.
–Mark Behnke
