Incredible cover art by Justin T. Coons
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“I’ve just begun to dig” what a great note to leave off on! *clapping* great debut collection. I'll never forget this conversation I had with an author about two or three years ago. I think about it all the time.
I asked this guy, are you going to release another short story collection? He says, "It doesn't work that way. You don't just write a bunch of short stories and put them in a collection and release it."
I asked, "Why not?"
He responded with an explanation that authors submit their stories to various publications; magazines, anthologies, websites, etc., and then when the author has their rights back, they can collect them all into one book.
Oh.
Except it seems that these publishing "rules" can be broken all the time!
I've read and enjoyed dozens of short story collections over the last few years from indie-published authors and I'm so glad it seems as though writing a bunch of short stories and collecting them for a book with badass cover art is exactly what one can do! I strongly encourage others to do this.
THE RAZORBLADES IN MY HEAD by Donnie Goodman.
Donnie is a friend of mine and reviews horror fiction for the Night Worms blog. A few of these stories I beta read for Donnie, so please feel free to take this review with a grain of salt, if you think there's a possibility for a bias.
The Razorblades in my Head - This one made me sick and queasy. Very detailed descriptions of something unnatural happening to a man's head. Body horror at its best. Great opener.
Third Grade - I saw Ross Jeffery say he read this story along with listening to Donnie read it out loud for Celebrate Horror 2021 which is hosted on the Nightworms YouTube channel. That's a great idea! If you enjoy the whole "kids are very creepy" trope-this one is for you. Quick and insidious.
I asked this guy, are you going to release another short story collection? He says, "It doesn't work that way. You don't just write a bunch of short stories and put them in a collection and release it."
I asked, "Why not?"
He responded with an explanation that authors submit their stories to various publications; magazines, anthologies, websites, etc., and then when the author has their rights back, they can collect them all into one book.
Oh.
Except it seems that these publishing "rules" can be broken all the time!
I've read and enjoyed dozens of short story collections over the last few years from indie-published authors and I'm so glad it seems as though writing a bunch of short stories and collecting them for a book with badass cover art is exactly what one can do! I strongly encourage others to do this.
THE RAZORBLADES IN MY HEAD by Donnie Goodman.
Donnie is a friend of mine and reviews horror fiction for the Night Worms blog. A few of these stories I beta read for Donnie, so please feel free to take this review with a grain of salt, if you think there's a possibility for a bias.
The Razorblades in my Head - This one made me sick and queasy. Very detailed descriptions of something unnatural happening to a man's head. Body horror at its best. Great opener.
Third Grade - I saw Ross Jeffery say he read this story along with listening to Donnie read it out loud for Celebrate Horror 2021 which is hosted on the Nightworms YouTube channel. That's a great idea! If you enjoy the whole "kids are very creepy" trope-this one is for you. Quick and insidious.
Stargazing - A SciFi-apocalyptic tale. Probably not my favorite in the collection but I enjoyed that it showcased a different storytelling voice. I would like to see if Goodman could experiment further with quiet horror for a longer piece. This one felt a wee bit underbaked.
Gobble, Gobble - I love this story because one of my favorite tropes is animal revenge stories. There's a children's story called, "Click, Clack, Moo. Cows That Type" where these cows flip the tables on the farm and fuck with him a little bit. Gobble, Gobble is the adult version of that. *wink*
Magic in the Hat - This is my favorite story. I had the pleasure of reading this before it was featured in this collection and I knew then that Donnie has chops. I could read a full-length novel with coming-of-age elements from Goodman, I can tell he has the voice for young protagonists.
It’s Not Always Why - Some cult horror here that I wish was developed a *tiny* bit more. I'm a short story lover, no doubt, and I very rarely complain about length because the right author can tell the perfect story in as few words as the story in their mind needs-but I found there wasn't really enough here to buy in. Cult horror is tricky, I've said this before in another review. It's hard to convince the reader that people are capable of madness under the influence of a cult if the cult isn't strong enough. I needed more-even just one line.
The Stranger in the Squared Circle - Horror and wrestling just go together, I suppose! I've read a few horror stories about wrestlers or wrestling and they have all been really entertaining despite my disinterest in wrestling as a sport. This one is no exception. A strong story. (Read UGLY AS SIN by James Newman)
Toasted - What the hell?? This is a fast and feisty one! I smirked upon reading the ending.
Teddy - I like the way Donnie built strong tension and character with this piece. The unrelenting sense of dread carries this dark story to the top of the pack for me.
A Bloody Heist - Another example that Goodman has a lot of storytelling voices in him which is great because it will be exciting to see what genre he decides to go with for his first novel or novella. This stands out as a favorite.
Hourglass - Horror comedy is not my favorite genre but this tale shines.
The Old Bay King - A stand-out story in the collection and was released as a promo teaser for this collection. Here's my review:
If this story is any indication of what Goodman is promising, horror fans better jump on the bandwagon now!
This is a "too good to be true" cautionary tale about two guys who find themselves with a debt that needs to be paid and no lucrative way to make good on it. The Old Bay King wants the lion's share of their crab haul but the ocean isn't giving up its bounty so easily. Out at sea, they spot a "ghost ship" their investigation turns up something that might be the answer to all of their problems.
Damn! In just a few pages, Donnie is able to paint a very vivid picture of desperation. What stands out to me the most is the gripping narrative and authentic dialog. Goodman has a storytelling voice that is immediately engaging--it takes no time to "warm up" to it--just a few lines in and I'm hooked!
I can't wait to see what other dark stories Donnie has cookin' in that noggin. I'm here for it!
And this collection feels like only the beginning. An author on the rise and one to watch. @mother.horror
