I've been reading Tony Tremblay for a few years now, but this is the first time I've read any of his fiction. Most of what I've read previously are his posts on Facebook. Tons of them. Tony has quite the presence on social media and that's a good thing, particularly if you're a fan of literary horror. Tony's support of the genre is nothing short of legendary. If you're a fan of Horror, as I am, he's certainly worth following on Facebook.
When I saw he was releasing his first book of short stories, I had to see what he had to offer, and I'm happy to report it's a book worth getting excited about. The Seeds of Nightmares features thirteen stories, some previously published, many new to this collection, all entertaining in their individual ways.
One of the nice things about this collection is the series of author's notes before each story, giving the reader some insight into how the story came about and it's history.
The Strange Saga of Mattie Dyer - Weird westerns are a lot of fun and when you mix in a bit of H.P. Lovecraft, well, get ready for a wild ride, and just when you think the worst is over...oh, no!
The Old Man - A bit of noir and a clever tale of mistaken identity.
The Burial Board - A burial board, meant to keep the body of a couple's deceased daughter until the ground thaws for internment, seems to have mystical powers.
Something New - A haunting fantasy story of a man who comes home to find his wife in the arms of another man.
Stardust - A melancholic fantasy tale that leads from pain to wonder.
The Soldier's Wife - A powerful ghost story with a gut-wrenching twist.
Tsunami - The author's backstory for this tale is fascinating. When you read The Seeds of Nightmares be sure to read the author's notes. Tsunami is the story of a family torn apart by disaster. It's only natural to grasp at any ray of hope to be together again. But, oh, what a twist.
The Black Dress - "Dash had killed her a little over two months ago." Her revenge is oh, so sweet.
Chiyoung and Dongsun's Song - Another story with a colorful history. A titillating and humorous tale of forbidden love.
Husband of Kellie - Many of Tony's stories have an unexpected twist and this one is a doozy.
An Alabama Christmas - A gruesomely dark tale of an Alabama Christmas.
The Pawnshop - My favorite story in the collection. A fine tale of the lengths we are willing to go for family.
The Visitors - There's a touch of fantasy mixed in with many of the horror stories in this collection. The Visitors is a perfect example.
The Seeds of Nightmares is available as an e-book and is published by Crossroad Press.
Highly recommended.
In addition to being a horror fiction writer, Tony Tremblay is also a founding member and host of The Taco Society Presents, a series of webcasts featuring horror books and the people who write them. You can find the episodes on YouTube and they are definitely worth checking out.
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