Why did I read this short story collection? Because a friend of mine is published in it. As I love his writing, I knew I needed to get it. Was it worth it? YES!
All the stories are about werewolves. This is probably the first collection I’ve read where I enjoyed all the stories, as the writers are high caliber.
I usually read the introductions in collections, in the hopes of learning a bit about the authors. The intro was short, and contained a one sentence synopsis of each story. The intro was written by the editor and was well done.
The Mortsafe by Liam Hogan:
The details in this story made it easy to see the scenes. I was rooting for the main character the entire time, and learned a new word, ‘mortsafe’. Fascinating thing, a mortsafe.
A Werewolf’s Lament by Holly Rae Garcia:
I’m a widow. I felt the loss in this story as if it were my own.
Howling on the Moon by Christopher R. Muscato:
Werewolf and his wife move to the moon in the hopes that living there will stop him from turning into a werewolf. I loved the ending. Brilliant concept.
Ivanwolf by M.T. Johnson:
I want to know more of the character Ivanwolf. The story is about the people who hunt him. Ivanwolf deserves to be written about more. He is intriguing, regal, and proper.
Rabbit Ears in the Laundry by Holly Barratt:
A wife laments her werewolf husband and the habits she has put up with for years.
Rewilding by Eric Nash:
A woman is pursued by a man she said ‘no’ to. A lovely ending to a common stalker story.
The Lodger by Laura Garritty:
I like this story, but I was a bit confused as to whether there were two antagonists or one. It didn’t detract from the story, and I still felt the story was resolved at the end. I might have missed clues that answered my confusion, therefore do not let my confusion color your read through of this fine story.
The Wolf is Always at Your Door by E.J. Sidle:
A heart wrenching, beautiful love story. I cried. There are several stories of love/couples in this book, all are good. This one is by far my favorite. I wanted to say more about this story, but to describe it too much would give all of it away.
To Prey by C.H. Knyght:
Supernatural creatures clash. The one with the biggest claws – and the most knowledge – wins. Twice. I’m smirking right now as the second win is a fun one for the character.
Walking Dog David J. Rank:
What do you do when your werewolf needs to go for a walk and you’re a kid? Anything you can.
Werewolf Eulogy by Adam Stemple:
I live in Illinois and this story takes place in Minnesota, where it gets much colder. I could still feel what the character was describing and found myself nodding along with a lot of the outdoor descriptions. A very sweet story set in the cold north. It made my heart happy and sad.
The Big L by Richard Pulfer:
Richard uses puns for his story titles on a regular basis. I almost never get the pun until the end, even when it should be obvious. This is a tale of a senior citizen trying desperately to get out of a nursing home and his journey to find out why he’s not being allowed to leave.
To sum up, I’ll say again that all the stories are worth it. Give it a read. You can get it here:
Cat Stark 