THE ONE TRUE DEAD ANGEL : # 01 : reading reviews

All reviews by RKF unless noted at the end.

Earthling Publications GRAVEYARD PEOPLE: THE COLLECTED CEDAR HILL STORIES, VOL. 1
By Gary A. Braunbeck [Earthling Publications]
Look for this one in the next issue. Sorry about that.

Sein und Werden
To order: Kiss the Witch HER BLACK LITTLE HEART
By Rachel Kendall [Sein und Werden]
Disclosure: I've known Rachel for a while and have contributed to her 'zine "Sein und Werden." Just so you know...

Rachel Kendall's HER BLACK LITTLE HEART is a sticky, slippery collection of stories dripping with sex and decay. Kendall covers a lot of territory in this short collection; from the Angela Carter-esque fairy tales, "The Bad Apple" and "The Seasonal Witch," to the psychological horror of "Still Life," the gothic grotesquerie of "Skeletal Monogamy," the fevered surrealism of "Foetus" and "Cerebral Demons and the Split," to the more subdued, almost mainstream (yet still desperate and aching) pieces "Disconnected," "Future Wife," and "The Window."

The writing has a dense, cinematic quality as evidenced by lines such as, "A bruised sky could leave a city in shatters." (from "Future Wife") and "The roses outside the window are shedding their petals, ticking them off one by one, sacrificing them to the wind through rain-sluiced Manchester streets..." (from "Disconnected") She also has a knack for engaging the reader's senses and evoking dread: "It was an early morning return and she recognized the rich smell as soon as she stepped through the front door. Moist, malodorous, malignant. It was faint but she still wondered how she could not have noticed it earlier..." (from "Still Life") (You know that whatever the character has just walked into, it isn't going to be good...)

This is not to say that there are no problems. There some clumsy passages scattered throughout the stories, and at times the dark, decadent imagery can be a bit too much, moving into purple territory. Still, for a first collection and a self-published one at that (Kendall side-stepped quality control issues by only including material, with one or two exceptions, that previously appeared in edited publications), HER BLACK LITTLE HEART is a strong debut, one that could go toe to toe with work from many established writers. One gets the feeling with these stories that Kendall is in the process of finding her voice. She's not quite there, but she's well on her way, and when she does...look out.

I should also mention that the chapbook comes with an audio cd by The Wicker Man. The disc consists of a series of soundscapes which are quite well done, but aren't (at least in my opinion) quite dark enough to match the vibe of the stories. [N/A]

Santa Monica Press JACKSON POLLOCK: MEMORIES ARRESTED IN SPACE
By Martin Gray [Santa Monica Press]
You'll have to wait until the next issue for this one too. WUPS.

Top Shelf Publications THE LEGEND OF WILD MAN FISCHER
By Dennis P. Eichhorn / J. R. Williams [Top Shelf Publications]
This collection of stories from the comic book REAL STUFF is all about around the exploits of legendary eccentric Wild Man Fischer, preseented in both written and graphic format. Illustrator Eichorn and several others contribute articles explaining Fischer's history as a troubled (and talkative) exponent of outsider music, detailing their personal relationships with the man and the occasional problems caused by his erratic behavior. The stories themselves are hilariously funny while capturing, often in excruciating detail, just how weird and problematic Fischer can be, and how hard it often is to deal with him. The compilation is a bit on the short side at 64 pages, but the articles are all entertaining and frank about Fischer's talent and troublesome behavior, and the illustrated stories look great as well. (Did I mention that they are also hilariously funny?) This is probably the most succinct and entertaining explanation you're ever likely to get about the man, and it's worth seeking out if you're a Fischer fan.

Automatism Press MORBID CURIOSITY # 9
By Loren Rhoads (ed.) [Automatism Press]
Another brilliant issue full of wonderful (and creepy) weirdness, with first-person accounts of adventures / mishaps / experiences involving cemeteries, artistic injuries, crazy neighbors, dead pets, dead relatives, epilepsy, full-body tattoos, hauntings, internet dating, knife attacks, MENSA, needle exchanges, coked-out punk girls, working in a small-town jail, working in a psychiatric asylum, spontaneous miscarriage, rabies, and more. The articles are all accompanied by strange art and photos, and the review section covers a wide range of peculiar reading. You need this. Essential stuff.

	All reviews by RKF unless noted at the end.
Earthling Publications	GRAVEYARD PEOPLE: THE COLLECTED CEDAR HILL STORIES, VOL. 1 By Gary A. Braunbeck [Earthling Publications] Look for this one in the next issue. Sorry about that.
Sein und Werden To order: Kiss the Witch	HER BLACK LITTLE HEART By Rachel Kendall [Sein und Werden] Disclosure: I've known Rachel for a while and have contributed to her 'zine "Sein und Werden." Just so you know... Rachel Kendall's HER BLACK LITTLE HEART is a sticky, slippery collection of stories dripping with sex and decay. Kendall covers a lot of territory in this short collection; from the Angela Carter-esque fairy tales, "The Bad Apple" and "The Seasonal Witch," to the psychological horror of "Still Life," the gothic grotesquerie of "Skeletal Monogamy," the fevered surrealism of "Foetus" and "Cerebral Demons and the Split," to the more subdued, almost mainstream (yet still desperate and aching) pieces "Disconnected," "Future Wife," and "The Window." The writing has a dense, cinematic quality as evidenced by lines such as, "A bruised sky could leave a city in shatters." (from "Future Wife") and "The roses outside the window are shedding their petals, ticking them off one by one, sacrificing them to the wind through rain-sluiced Manchester streets..." (from "Disconnected") She also has a knack for engaging the reader's senses and evoking dread: "It was an early morning return and she recognized the rich smell as soon as she stepped through the front door. Moist, malodorous, malignant. It was faint but she still wondered how she could not have noticed it earlier..." (from "Still Life") (You know that whatever the character has just walked into, it isn't going to be good...) This is not to say that there are no problems. There some clumsy passages scattered throughout the stories, and at times the dark, decadent imagery can be a bit too much, moving into purple territory. Still, for a first collection and a self-published one at that (Kendall side-stepped quality control issues by only including material, with one or two exceptions, that previously appeared in edited publications), HER BLACK LITTLE HEART is a strong debut, one that could go toe to toe with work from many established writers. One gets the feeling with these stories that Kendall is in the process of finding her voice. She's not quite there, but she's well on her way, and when she does...look out. I should also mention that the chapbook comes with an audio cd by The Wicker Man. The disc consists of a series of soundscapes which are quite well done, but aren't (at least in my opinion) quite dark enough to match the vibe of the stories. [N/A]
Santa Monica Press	JACKSON POLLOCK: MEMORIES ARRESTED IN SPACE By Martin Gray [Santa Monica Press] You'll have to wait until the next issue for this one too. WUPS.
Top Shelf Publications	THE LEGEND OF WILD MAN FISCHER By Dennis P. Eichhorn / J. R. Williams [Top Shelf Publications] This collection of stories from the comic book REAL STUFF is all about around the exploits of legendary eccentric Wild Man Fischer, preseented in both written and graphic format. Illustrator Eichorn and several others contribute articles explaining Fischer's history as a troubled (and talkative) exponent of outsider music, detailing their personal relationships with the man and the occasional problems caused by his erratic behavior. The stories themselves are hilariously funny while capturing, often in excruciating detail, just how weird and problematic Fischer can be, and how hard it often is to deal with him. The compilation is a bit on the short side at 64 pages, but the articles are all entertaining and frank about Fischer's talent and troublesome behavior, and the illustrated stories look great as well. (Did I mention that they are also hilariously funny?) This is probably the most succinct and entertaining explanation you're ever likely to get about the man, and it's worth seeking out if you're a Fischer fan.
Automatism Press	MORBID CURIOSITY # 9 By Loren Rhoads (ed.) [Automatism Press] Another brilliant issue full of wonderful (and creepy) weirdness, with first-person accounts of adventures / mishaps / experiences involving cemeteries, artistic injuries, crazy neighbors, dead pets, dead relatives, epilepsy, full-body tattoos, hauntings, internet dating, knife attacks, MENSA, needle exchanges, coked-out punk girls, working in a small-town jail, working in a psychiatric asylum, spontaneous miscarriage, rabies, and more. The articles are all accompanied by strange art and photos, and the review section covers a wide range of peculiar reading. You need this. Essential stuff.