The End Of The World As We Know It

Hedda Gabler

The above I wrote for brian Keene’s spot.  I fully hope everyone here at Bev’s shares. I so love seeing your reactions and opinions. 

Grant87

Waiting on mine to come in from Cemetery Dance. Chizmar said he'd send me a copy when I ordered Memorials a few months ago. 2 for the price of 1. Can't beat that. Looking forward to it, and I'll share some thoughts when I start tackling it. I'll probably mix in a story here and there while I'm reading other stuff.

BevVincent

Hedda Gabler

It looks like everyone involved in this event had a great time. such good energy.  

GNTLGNT

....the guy on the right appears to be a little shifty-lookin', got a death grip on that writing utensil....

Hedda Gabler

Today’s Daily Mail Royals Youtube episode is titled:

End of the Monarchy As We Know It?!

What a fun coincidence.   

Kurben

read Room 24 by Caroline Kepnes, The Tripps by Wrath James White and Bright Light City by Meg Gardiner. The second two brought me back and i espicially liked the Gardiners take. The first was creepy enough and well written but didn't feel as much The Stand as the other two did to me at least. Now moving on....

Kurben

Read Every Dog Has Its Day by Bryan Smith, Lockdown by our Charitable host and In a Pigs Eye by Joe E. Lansdale. Everyone was good but the standout for me among these was, without a doubt, Lockdown. Really enjoyed that one.

BevVincent

Kurben said:

Read Every Dog Has Its Day by Bryan Smith, Lockdown by our Charitable host and In a Pigs Eye by Joe E. Lansdale. Everyone was good but the standout for me among these was, without a doubt, Lockdown. Really enjoyed that one.

Thank you -- I've been getting some nice feedback about that story.

Kurben

Read Lenora by Jonathan Janz, The Hope Boat by Gabino Iglesias, Wrong fucking Place, wrong fucking Time by C. Robert Cargill and Prey Instinct by Hailey Piper. Cargills piece probably my fave of these four. Had some problem to attach properly to prey instinct for some reason, dont know why.

BevVincent

Kurben

Gave finished Grace by Tim Lebbon (interesting story and liked the setting in a space station) , Moving day by Rich Chizmar (good but never really took off for me), La Mala Hora by Alex Segura which i really liked, The african Painted Dog by Catriona Ward which is Captain Trips seen from a zoo animals perspective which was interesting and The Human Voices Wake Us, And We Drown by Poppy Z. Brite which was strange but rather captivating and are now reading Michael Korytas Kovachs Last Case which i like about a police going on tracking a serial killer because it is what he is and where should he go?. Just have Alma Katsus story left in the forst part and then i move on to part two: th.e long walk its called.

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

Part One: Down With the Sickness

Story One:  Room 24 by Caroline Kepnes

Whoa. A powerful, in-your-face opening to The End….
I am not familiar with Caroline’s work so I went a-googlin’ to check what she has out there.  

What an unsettling main character she gives us here. Wonderful writing. 

Dear God, Spaghetti Monster, et al — please can I have one decent idea and write it this good? 

....I'm two stories in, so Imma post as I go Deej....unlike you, I didn't care for this one....to much "dick" talk.....I have to look at em at work, don't need them in my imagination.....so a big MEH from me.....

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

Story Two: The Tripps by Wrath James White

This, for me, was beyond The Stand. This stepped into the here and now. We have a Walking Dude and he’s infecting the brains of half of America. A mental illness that is full of snot and fever. This is where we’re headed and I keep hoping a Mother Abigail is going to make this right. 

The one thing that gave me the smallest smile was Vicks VapoRub. My grandma, my mom and even me — got a cold? Vicks will fix you up. Rash? Put some Vicks on it. Cancer? Yep, try the Vicks. But I don’t think there’s enough VapoRub in the whole world to cure this mental infection. 

This story made me sad. Thanks James. Thanks a lot. You did your job. Well done. 

....I got into this....we all go down, suburbanite or banger....Tripps gonna get paid....never thought about the political dimension of this, but damn DJ, you got a point-and as always, a well described one.....the feeling all the way through gave me original Stand vibes....can't compliment anymore than that.....

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

Story Three: Bright Light City — Meg Gardiner

The pace of this story starts with the dial at 11 and keeps the heat on (pun intended). What Meg did here and why I love it, she moves us succinctly through scenes, quick but detailed. Her use of language masterful. 
My focus these days isn’t the best, I stutter my way through movies, tv shows, books. These hold-my-breath scenes of people, places and circumstances demand my attention. I’m with her, she’s got me. The humor so expertly dropped here and there — love it!

Meg is one of my favorite authors and Eleanor, perched on her Rascal, smoking a cig and dropping coins in the slots while the world burns around her is my new spirit animal.

Dear God blah blah one idea blah blah write this good. Please.  🤣

....with you here!!....I too want to go out in a full length mink, whilst not blaming Elvis...

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

The End….stories: Every Dog Has Its Day — Bryan Smith What’s that Bryan? Lassie’s in a well? Fuck me. No spoilers, but man oh man, animal stories are nerve-racking.  Don’t want to say too much but nice job.

....those damn boot heels clocking along....still scary after all these years.....

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

The End….Lockdown by Bev Vincent Strong Midnight Mass, Storm of the Century and The Lottery energy, Bev’s story captures that small island mentality— Good? Bad and ugly for sure. But necessary?  Good work.

...thus far, the most faithful nod to source material.....ayuh.....

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

The End….stories In A Pig’s Eye — Joe R. Lansdale I would not mess with a pig, especially one with babies. Personal experience.  Bwahahaha !  Anyway, good story, smoothly written.

....holy shit!.....classic Joe.....hilarious and tense all rolled into one big old Texas goreball....

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

The End….stories

Lenora — Jonathan Janz

Aw hell. Another animal story. Like the others, very well written but tough to read. 

Sigh.

....."Dead ED"......what a douche and it was a tough read for those of us that like fur babies....

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

The End…

The Hope Boat — Gabino Iglesias

It’s interesting to think about the strength some people have in them to keep going, despite all the Job-like shite piling on compared to the people who give up quickly. 

I put myself in this story and really wondered: which type of person would I be? 

Hopeless or hopeful?

....I get that, but this was a no go for me.....

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

The End…

Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time — C. Robert Cargill

A family man, 2 oddballs and a store filled with videos. How long would it take to re-wire someone when the world goes tits up? Reminded me of Alex in Clockwork Orange. 

What conditions would it take to make someone change their nature, or reveal their true nature? 

Can things stay static? No. Nothing can stay the same. You can’t step in the same river twice. And most important, “Can’t all be butt stuff.”

Good story.

.....love is a warm chainsaw.....thumbs up......

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

The End…. Prey Instinct — Hailey Piper Ooooo. Very clever story. Great use of visuals, metaphors, similes. It's all right there if you pay attention to the language.  Nicely done.

....more cerebral than the rest thus far.....no insult to any writer, but this was a "thinker"...

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

The End….

Grace — Tim Lebbon

Loved the change of scenery with this one. No getting out of this, so now what? 

Claustrophobic and doomed, I don’t know enough about the science of space to understand what the hell all that blood and bodily fluid is doing to control panels and buttons. Did it matter? Nope. 
Can a hatch slam in space? It’s all relative, isn’t it? Can a fight break out that conveys urgency while floating in slow motion? Yes. I say yes. I was anxious as all get out. 

Terrifying to think about every aspect of this story. 

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do
I'm half crazy all for the love of you….

.........."reaching for the urine tube"......most horrifying bit of the story.....

GNTLGNT

Hedda Gabler said:

The End….

Moving Day — Richard Chizmar

A suburban, slice-of-life type of writer, Richard delivers another hometown snapshot, but a little gooier. 

The opening paragraph was a nice homage (whether intended or not) to one of my favorite stories, Secret Window, Secret Garden. 

Were our campers Rita and Larry? I think so. 

Quiet story. Good job.

....a quintessential Chiz piece......he writes with hope.....

Hedda Gabler

I am loving your thoughts, Scott. I like to see how people see things the same as me or completely different. Makes me look closer.

I was also enjoying Kurben’s thoughts, did you set the book aside Kurben?