Monday, 31 October 2022

'Folly' by Sam Dawson

A while ago I received a submission for Supernatural Tales from Sam Dawson, complete with a nice illustration by the author...


It was a slam dunk so far as I was concerned, but at that moment my pesky conscience invited me to wrestle. After two falls and a submission (as well as some ear-biting) my conscience won out and I told Sam that Ro Pardoe was putting together an anthology of stories about follies and grottoes, and his story would be a perfect fit. And now here it is in The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Follies and Grottoes

The story is a simple one but all the more entertaining for it. A British country estate with a strange folly and grotto (see above) passes down through a succession of reclusive owners - not one of whom is related to the previous one. Strange beliefs plus a nasty mutilation seem to add up to an occult conspiracy. There's a nice Lovecraftian element with a strange constellation, too. So it's doubly good to see such a fine story between hardcovers, and knowing that I played a small part in putting it there. 

Happy Hallowe'en all! I'll be back soon.

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Issue 57 - Winter 2024/5

  Cover illo by Sam Dawson, for Steve Duffy's story 'Forever Chemicals', which offers an interesting take on the London of the e...