Sunday, July 29, 2007

Nobody


Title: NOBODY: An Anthology of Dark Fiction

Theme: Different takes on the concept of "nobody." It might be someone bodiless/disembodied, artificial or non-human intelligence, someone lost in the crowd, someone that slips through the cracks of society, undesirable, untouchable...

Are you the publisher, author or a reviewer?

One of 9 authors. Authors include (editor) Kelly Gunter-Atlas and (EWAG members) A.E. Martineau, Mellisa Sherlin, Tracy L. Carbone, Coralie Hughes Jensen, Pam Marin-Kingsley, Brenna Lyons, Scott T. Goudsward and Gregory L. Norris. Publisher is Dark Hart Press.

What makes this anthology unique?

The authors were permitted to play with the theme, to stretch out and create a varied offering. The only rules were: 1) You have to use the theme of nobody somehow. 2) It has to be dark fiction (horror, dark fantasy, thriller, etc.). There are even dark romance stories inside. 3) You have to be an EWAG regular to submit.

Blurb about the book:

Nobody's knocking. Nobody calls.
Nobody's footsteps out in the hall.
Alone in the house or alone in your head...
One man's delight is another one's dread.
Follow, dear reader, the path that we wind.
You have only to leave your body behind.

AWARD:

Spinetingler's 2007 Book of The Year

REVIEWS:

Spinetinglers
"The Essex Writers' & Artists' Guild have put together a collection of short stories based in and around the concept of nobody, and it is, by far, the best collection of short stories I have ever read. It is a diverse range of tales from authors of varying accomplishments. Practically every subgenre in dark fiction is covered - Sci-fi, crime thriller, vampire fiction and the list goes on. Usually when you read an anthology, you find that you really enjoy a few stories, but not all. On the contrary, every single story within this collection is fascinating, and sometimes spooky--a rare treat for anyone who loves either a good old-fashioned ghost story, or brilliant sci-fi stories warning of the dangers of technology. Also, a lot of anthologies have similar stories, and after you have read a few, you almost do not have to read the rest of the book because they so formulaic. This is not he case with Nobody; each author has obviously been given free reign to use this concept however they want, which only adds to the brilliance of this entertaining and fascinating anthology. All stories are brilliantly written and fantastically entertaining. This is an absolute must for Dark Fiction Fans, and Spinetinglers has the feeling that the writers in this anthology will certainly not be 'nobodies' for much longer."
Reviewed by Nolene-Patricia Dougan for Spinetinglers 5 STARS! WINNER SPINETINGLERS' BOOK OF THE YEAR!

Monster Librarian
"Nobody is a fine collection of short stories that cover a wide range of horror genres. The common denominator for the stories is that they are all written by members of EWAG (Essex Writers & Artists Guild), so instead of [a particular genre], readers get a "grab bag" with a variety of tales. Within the pages of this anthology are stories of ghosts and the supernatural, alien invasion, vampires, technological terrors and dark love affairs. A few of the stories even consist of hard science fiction with a terrifying twist. Some of the stories are better than others, but all of the tales are dark and entertaining. All in all, Nobody would make a nice addition to a horror section of any library. Recommended for personal and public library collections."
Reviewed by Bret Jordan for Monster Libarian

Horror World
"A highly entertaining anthology. Eclectic in style and theme, "Nobody" is a compilation of stories that are mostly subtle, yet vivid in their imagery and powerful in their execution. Among the best in the collection is Gregory Norris' "The Box of Love and Hatred", a suspenseful story of a woman who becomes obsessed with a box her good-for-nothing boyfriend has stored in her closet, and "Rose-Colored Glasses" by Tracy Carbone, a clever look at paranoia within an exclusive experimental community where the human potential for prejudice finds a way to surface even under the most ideal conditions. Other commendable stories include the heartwarming "Trick or Treat" by Brenna Lyons, a haunting love story set in the night of Samhain. The spectrum of styles in "Nobody" adds a lot to the quality of the collection. The list of contributors may not ring any bells for most readers, but there is something in "Nobody" for every taste, be it ghosts, vampires, space travel, world-changing technology, or never-ending dreams. These are stories about people who might fade away in their individual existence, but who come to life with such strength that we, as readers, cannot help but look up and feel their presence."
Reviewed by César Puch for Horror World

"NOBODY is a breath of fresh air, new voices and talents showing their stuff and telling tales with surprisingly pleasant results. Reading newer writers is always a mixed bag, but in this case, the treats were many and the tricks were few. Highly recommended!"

James A. Moore, author of BLOOD RED and HARVEST MOON

"Dark fantasy fiction--fiction of any kind--would be in peril without strong, new and often fascinating voices, such as those you'll find in NOBODY."

T.M. Wright, author of I AM THE BIRD and BONE SOUP

What other books have you written?
BRENNA LYONS-
Fairy Dreams
Prophecy
Night Warriors

TRACY L. CARBONE-
Proteus Cure
Hope House

CORALIE HUGHES-JENSEN-
Passup Point
Lety's Gift

SCOTT T. GOUDSWARD-
Trailer Trash
Shadows Over New England
The Darkest Thirst

KELLY GUNTER-ATLAS-
Dancing With The Darkest Muse: On The Death Of Love & The Love of Death

GREGORY L. NORRIS-
Playing With The Big Boys: A Woman's Guide To Poker

Where can we buy it?
Amazon and B&N
http://www.amazon.com/NOBODY-Essex-Writers-Artists-Guild/dp/0978731824/sr=11-1/qid=1166189751/ref=sr_11_1/103-2646294-4831866
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780978731823&itm=1

Do you have a website where we can learn more about you?
http://www.brennalyons.com (my site does contain a small amount of adult content, but it's written, and there are appropriate gateways to it)
http://tracylcarbone.com
http://coraliehughesjensen.com
http://goudsward.com/scott
http://www.mellisasherlin.com
http://www.mermaidisland.com
http://www.far-angel.com
http://darkhart.com

2 comments:

cyn said...

The idea of having the same theme throughout the anthology is a great one! and "nobody" is so intriguing.

Cynthia MacKinnon
the Lost Genre Guild
Light at the Edge of Darkness

BrennaLyons said...

Thanks, Cyn! NOBODY was such a fun anthology to be a part of...and Dark Hart is calling for two new anthologies, starting in October. One is Terrible Beauty and the other is Traps. More information on those will be coming soon. I am already percolating one for Terrible Beauty.

Brenna