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Horror Q&A: Andrea Thomas (Something Wicked This Way Rides)

Chris Well

“Genre fiction has existed even as far back as the Bard himself.”

Ghosts that serve whiskey to the living during the Civil War. A whorehouse occupied with deceased ladies of the night that is actually a portal to Hell. Sacrificing a pure soul to a town called Purgatory. A barkeep who contacts his monster-hunter former lover to rid the town of a mysterious murdering creature. A man who must win a contest to get his town back from Satan.

These are among the many themes found in the short story collection Something Wicked This Way Rides from Dark Owl Publishing. In this anthology featuring some two-dozen authors, the Old West is explored with a twisted view, showcasing the 1800s through stories featuring the wicked, supernatural, demonic and just plain weird.

In the tradition of pulp and western stories of bygone days, these are thirty stories to intrigue, amaze and downright spook readers out of your boots!

In this interview, Dark Owl's Andrea Thomas talks about the origins of the anthology, how it was assembled, and what readers can expect.

Q: What inspired this anthology?

The anthology was inspired by a post online. Someone posted about the lack of Weird Westerns in the modern age, and I got to thinking about creating an anthology to fill that void. Weird Westerns began with the publication Weird Tales in the 1930s, but their popularity has certainly waned.

However, Westerns are making a bit of a comeback on TV and in film, so I thought I could appeal to those viewers. Later, I ran across the witch's poem from Macbeth rewritten to fit a Western lifestyle. It ended with "Something wicked this way rides."

I realized it'd be a wonderful title for the anthology because it honors Ray Bradbury, who wrote plenty of genre fiction, and it showcases how genre fiction has existed even as far back as the Bard himself.

Q: Are these originals or curated? What led to this mix of authors and stories?

There are twenty-seven original stories and three reprints. My goal was to gather stories that fit the atmosphere and tone of the title. I sent out a call for subs to all the authors I already know--these folks have consistently written strong, solid genre fiction I knew would fit the anthology's needs.

The authors also let some of their friends know, so a few of the names are folks I had not worked with before. In addition, I was happy to get previously published work from some very experienced authors who have been published on the indie circuit for years.

The best part was the authors completely "got" what I wanted, so each story was absolutely perfect. I honestly cannot pick a favorite!

Q: What can readers look forward to with this collection?

The reader is going to see classic Western storylines and tropes with modern sensibilities thrown in. There is some comfort in regular expectations to a story, but we also have twists and turns that keep the reader on their toes.

I wanted to honor the period while still making sure the pieces are entertaining. Each story has one or more elements of genre fiction: science fiction, horror, mystery, supernatural, fantasy, it runs the gamut.

There's some subgenres too, such as new weird, steampunk, and even comedy. The stories are more geared toward adults, but teenagers will also enjoy this book, along with savvy younger readers.

And we'd love to hear readers' feedback through reviews. It helps us so much and determines what we will publish in the future!

FIND DARK OWL PUBLISHING ONLINE

ABOUT THE BOOK

Something Wicked This Way Rides

(Dark Owl Publishing)

An anthology of weird westerns and genre fiction in the Wild West

Click here for the Goodreads page!

This book is appropriate for teenagers.

The anthology Something Wicked This Way Rides explores the Old West with a skewed view, showcasing the weird western genre through stories that explore the peculiar and fantastic, the wicked that was and could have been. Experience spiritual nightmares, mythical monsters, cosmic outlaws, discerning gods, and science run amok. Even the North Pole Security Division isn't immune to the supernatural strangeness that stalks the late 1800s. In the tradition of pulp and western stories of a bygone era, these are thirty tales to intrigue, amaze, and perhaps downright spook readers out of their boots.

Includes stories from:

  • Gustavo Bondoni

  • Marilyn "Mattie" Brahen

  • Kenneth Bykerk

  • Dwain Campbell

  • Gregg Chamberlain

  • Vonnie Winslow Crist

  • Stuart Croskell

  • Lawrence Dagstine

  • J.B. Dane

  • Kevin M. Folliard

  • John A. Frochio

  • Steve Gladwin

  • L.L. Hill

  • Adrian Ludens

  • Stefan Markos

  • Jonathon Mast

  • Jason J. McCuiston

  • Gregory L. Norris

  • Q Parker

  • Peter Prellwitz

  • John B. Rosenman

  • Alistair Rey

  • Darrell Schweitzer

  • Bradley H. Sinor

  • Matias Travieso-Diaz

  • Charles Wilkinson

  • Martin Zeigler

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ABOUT DARK OWL PUBLISHING

Dark Owl Publishing, LLC is a woman-owned business dedicated to taking care of their authors and getting their work out to the public in ways they might otherwise not be noticed.

Dark Owl wants to give all authors a chance, no matter what their life situations are. They want to find all kinds of authors in the writing community to get their quality work out to readers who might otherwise miss them. Open submissions and variable anthologies will help with that mission.

The editors and staff at Dark Owl Publishing have extensive experience in writing, editing, and publication in all types of environments, not just in creative fiction. This gives us the skills to be able to handle large projects and complex timelines, and to work with professionals in the industry.

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