February Book Review: Howl—A Shapeshifting Anthology by Graveside Press

Cover image courtesy of 
Graveside Press

 Howl: A Shapeshifting Anthology from Graveside Press, is a solid collection of thought provoking horror stories. I tend to like horror that tries to be more than just scares, and this series of stories achieves that end.

Some dare us to laugh in the face of tragic circumstances, like The Salt Circle by Warren Benedetto, where the shifter in question is not a werewolf but an anxiety triggered slug. Others base their stories around identity, specifically queerness and the challenge to be who we are in a society of rigid definitions. There are dystopian scenarios, old world settings and themes of retribution that should resonate with anyone who might have been a victim. It’s a wide mix of horror sub-genres, including body horror, horror fantasy, folk, scifi and more. The link between the diversity is the shapeshifter element.

Food for thought, is how I would summarize each and every story. The titles that stood out for me, including The Salt Circle listed above, are:

Moth(er) by Chase Anderson

Wolves at the Fair by Mir Rainbird

Together Bound Unto Perdition by Matt McHugh

How Afraid by Devan Barlow

Time for a Change by Mark Towse

A Horse Walks Into a Bar by A M Sutter

You can check the book out here, at the Graveside Press website.

Another Self Promo Post --This Time for Reals

 And I know, the last blog entry about an anthology barely included me in it -- the Dancer anthology -- which had a couple of my haikus and a lot of short horror gems from other writers. But this time I need to give a shoutout to Graveside Press and this beautiful horror anthology called Tiny Terrors: Spring 2025.

I have checked out Graveside Press in the past, and was blown away by A Mortuary for Songs by Elizabeth Guilt in particular. It inspired me to submit something to an open call for submissions, and I did, never thinking it would get accepted. But it did, and here it is: The Body and the Blood, among a list of over thirty stellar pieces by various authors. It's fresh out, as of today and while I haven't had time to read all of the stories in it yet, I have read a few. So let me touch on those three because, again, I was blown away.

The ones I chose at random to read gave nods to classic horror authors while maintaining their own originality.

Lawyer, Captain, Cook by Kevin Oldham tells the tale of a lawyer who makes a disturbing bargain while on a privateering journey across the high seas in order to save his own skin, as it were...

The Echo and the Altar by P. N. Harrison pays respects to Lovecraft, as a son discovers the reasons behind his veteran father's PTSD.

The Confession of R. N. Renfield (Undated and Unread) by Kay Hanifen presents Stoker's side character from Dracula and gives him an intriguing backstory.

and then there's mine, The Body and the Blood, about a priest on the edge of losing his faith until he finds himself locked inside his church with others taking refuge at the dawn of a zombie apocalypse. George Romero is mentioned... 

Okay, maybe my entry has a totally different tone, but that's the beauty of this anthology. There's a little something for the niche horror fan and a whole lot of everything for the general horror fan. The writing of the above three mentioned stories is stellar, and I give props to the Graveside Press editors who tackled mine. So go to the direct link at Graveside Press, or go to your favorite book retailer and buy your copy. It's a worthwhile edition to any horror reader's collection.

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A Mortuary For Songs by Elizabeth Guilt -- A Novelette that Packs a Punch

Cover Image courtesy of
Graveside Press

    Don’t have time to read? Well this little piece, published by Graveside Press, is only 56 pages and, wow! Just wow. There is so much in this piece—nostalgia, heartbreak, love and loss, hope and horror. It’s a moving story about a high school love affair that takes a gut wrenchingly dark turn. I highly recommend it. If you have memories of high school and the hold that music had because of the way it spoke to you and helped you escape—everything— then this story will hit home.

    A young man finds friendship in a troubled young woman as they increasingly bond over the power of music. His love for her grows as they make and share endless mixtapes in their quests for meaning. But he can't seem to break past the thin shell that hides her real secrets. Until he does. And it's heartbreaking.

    If you need a taste of what this author--and this newish horror press has to offer, check out A Mortuary for Songs. You could find it at your favorite online book retailer. Or you can check it--and other merch--out at the Graveside Press website here: --GRAVESIDE PRESS MERCH--