Every writer has one. The contents go ignored for the most part. Once in a while, though, the writer is between projects or unsure of what to create next. During these fallow periods, on which object does the writer rely? Their trunk. Within that ethereal repository languish unfinished novels or stories, ideas for that proverbial rainy day, completed pieces that range from needing several layers of polish to needing to remain hidden away for perpetuity. And, sometimes, the writer finds forgotten treasures.
This collection of tales, painstakingly procured and selected by celebrated editor M. T. Beardsley, represents the talent and fevered imagination of reclusive author Ben McElroy. The short (and, in some cases, lengthy) stories in this volume showcase the breadth and depth of his storytelling prowess. From the weird to the eerie to the grotesque, the author invites you to experience his frightening fiction with an open mind and an unflinching sensibility.
• A trans woman bartender receives a desperate call from her brother, and she must confront her past--as well as a serial killer--during the rescue mission • A perplexed brother and sister find themselves on an endless dirt road between two empty houses, one of which they must choose to enter without knowing what waits inside either dwelling • A bisexual man can't decide if we wants a life with the woman he fell in love with or his college boyfriend, while a sinister being terrorizes his hometown • A misguided photographer captures images of road kill for a band's upcoming album, and he also captures the notice of a strange old man • A distraught gay man seeks escape from his abusive husband and their children, while they thwart his every attempt at freedom by monstrous means
Immerse yourself in the lives and predicaments of these and other vibrant characters as you journey through these tension-filled tales once thought buried forever in the author's trunk. Now that they've at last seen the light of day, they welcome you into their darkness.
