award-winning author Eric J. Guignard. Equal parts whimsy and weird,
horror and heartbreak, this debut collection traverses the darker
side of the fantastic through vibrant and harrowing tales that depict
monsters and regrets, hope and atonement, and the oddly changing
reflection that turns back at you in the mirror.
as Ramsey Campbell (“Guignard gives voice to paranoid vision that’s
all too believable.”), Rick Hautala (“No other young horror
author is better, I think, than Eric J. Guignard.”), and Nancy
Holder ( “The defining new voice of horror has arrived, and I stand
in awe.”)
teen experiences romance, while the world slowly dies from rising
temperatures and increasing cases of spontaneous combustion.
his dreams and love in Hollywood playing a munchkin during filming of
The Wizard of Oz, but soon those dreams begin to darken.
tells the true story behind the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre, and
of the grime that accumulates beneath our floors.
the ocean-borne debris of her tsunami-ravaged homeland, and the
ghosts that come with it.
warning against the cycle of opium addiction from which, even after
death, there is no escape.
town’s surviving children safe on a mountaintop from the incursion
of ferocious creatures… until a flash flood strikes.
strange, and the profound.
I usually find that when reading a collection of short stories, some of them are great, some are okay and some miss the mark. I was thrilled to find that I was happy with all sixteen tales in That Which Grows Wild.
The book begins with A Case Study in Natural Selection and How It Applies to Love. I’m a huge fan of dystopian and apocalyptic tales and this one adds human combustion to the mix. The fact that the author made it seem like something that could actually occur was like sprinkles on an ice cream cone. Tasty.
From there I went on to devour the book. I was expecting to need a break somewhere. For my interest to taper off. But, no. I kept right on to the end, encountering tormented beings, creatures big and small, aliens and ordinary people facing difficult and fantastical situations. But that wasn’t all I found. There were some deeply moving scenes and some characters I wanted to tuck under my wing and keep safe from harm.
I was going to list my favorites but I found myself adding another and then another. The writing is powerful and the stories intoxicating. Eric is a storyteller in the true sense of the word.
operating from the shadowy outskirts of Los Angeles. He’s won the
Bram Stoker Award, been a finalist for the International Thriller
Writers Award, and a multi-nominee of the Pushcart Prize. His stories
and non-fiction have appeared in over one hundred genre and literary
publications such as “Nightmare Magazine,” “Black Static,” “Shock Totem,”
college professor, and he stumbles home each day to a wife, children,
cats, and a terrarium filled with mischievous beetles.
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I liked both the book description, and the book cover. I am looking forward to reading the stories.
I very much enjoyed his writing and will be reading more.
Super creepy cover. A great fit.
It is a great cover and houses some great stories.
Thanks for the great giveaway!
The book looks like an amazing read!
Some of these stories still linger with me:)
The House of the Rising Sun, Forever sounds super scary because it’s (almost) true!
I know! These stories all have a haunting feel to them.
Wow! The fact that you loved all of the tales says something wonderful about this collection. And that cover is really creeping me out!
I loved the writing as much as the stories. Powerful stuff. And the cover art is perfect!
That’s so unusual to love an entire book of short stories, but so glad that was the case this time!
I can count on one hand how many times it has happened!
Sounds like a good read.
A very good read:)
Great coer. Sounds like one I would enjoy.
sherry @ fundinmental
I’ll bring it over next time I get by there, Sherry. You’d love these:)
Sounds like a great read.
There are some very good stories in this collection:)
Creepy cover! So glad you enjoyed this one!
I love the cover art!
Awww you wanted to protect them Laura! That’s sweet but I so relate because it happens so often to me!
I did! It’s hard to not be able to help them and awesome that the author can make me feel that way.
I like the cover
It’s gorgeous and chilling at the same time!
“Dreams of a Little Suicide” intrigues me most.
I really couldn’t choose a favorite. They were all so good:) Some fabulous titles too!
Wow! I am glad to hear that you devoured this one and that you love all sixteen tales. I rarely find an anthology where I enjoy all the stories.
It’s rare for me too!
Liked the description of the book. Looking forward to reading.
I have more books by Eric and will be sharing them soon:)
The book cover looks interesting and I can’t wait to read the book! Thank you for the giveaway!
I sure enjoyed all of the stories:)
great cover
A great cover for some great stories!
I enjoyed learning about these dark stories! Sounds great!
Every one of them was good!