Shadows over Main Street : an anthology of small-town Lovecraftian terror

What happens when idyllic small-towns, and the simple folk who inhabit them, collide with inexplicable evil borne of a vast and uncaring cosmos? Imagine a series of stories set in a golden era of American life, where worldly troubles are regarded from a distance, if at all. Hear the buzz of playing cards clipped in children’s spokes echo down quiet lanes. Smell the faint aroma of rich tobacco smoke from an old man’s pipe on a shady boulevard. Listen to the gossip of small towns where everyone knows everyone’s business. Or do they? Sometimes, deadly secrets lurk out in the barn. Sometimes, unimaginable evil awaits us in the root cellar. Sometimes, we fall under the sway of the Shadows Over Main Street. Foreword: Lovecraft’s Longest Shadow by Ramsey Campbell The 21st Century Shadow – Stephanie Wytovich Χταπόδι Σαλάτα – Nick Mamatas The Black Pyramid – Kevin Lucia Mountaintown – Chesya Burke This Stagnant Breath of Change – Brian Hodge The Floodgates of Willowhill – Mary SanGiovanni Odd Quahogs – James Chambers The Thing with a Thousand Legs – Tim Curran Undergrounders – Aaron Polson The Flesh or the Father – T. Fox Dunham White Picket Fences – Richard Thomas The Friendless Bodies of Unburied Men – Gary Braunbeck Estranged – Adrian Ludens Red Hill – Rena Mason The Abomination of Fensmere – Lucy A. Snyder The Crisis – Cameron Suey The Ogre – Lisa Morton Boss Cthulhu – Jay Wilburn Homecoming – John Sunseri A Fiddlehead Party on Carpenter’s Farm - Josh Malerman Cover art by Luke Spooner. Interior illustrations from Paul Carrick, Vincent Chong, John Coulthart, Galen Dara and HagCult. Edited by Doug Murano and D. Alexander Ward Review " Shadows Over Main Street demonstrates most convincingly that fear lurks in our towns and villages, in darkened alleys, and in the shadowy human heart. This anthology represents a dynamic cross section of contemporary horror." --Laird Barron, Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All ** ** ** "Shadows Over Main Street is a masterful blend of stories fit for both die-hard Lovecraft fans and readers new to the genre. Each and every tale is wickedly delicious." --Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Fall of Night and V-Wars . What happens when idyllic small-towns, and the simple folk who inhabit them, collide with inexplicable evil borne of a vast and uncaring cosmos? Imagine a series of stories set in a golden era of American life, where worldly troubles are regarded from a distance, if at all. Hear the buzz of playing cards clipped in childrens spokes echo down quiet lanes. Smell the faint aroma of rich tobacco smoke from an old mans pipe on a shady boulevard. Listen to the gossip of small towns where everyone knows everyones business. Or do they? Sometimes, deadly secrets lurk out in the barn. Sometimes, unimaginable evil awaits us in the root cellar. Sometimes, we fall under the sway of the Shadows Over Main Street. Come inside and sit for a spell --- Foreword by Ramsey Campbell. Cover illustration by Luke Spooner. Interior illustrations by Paul Carrick, Vincent Chong, John Coulthart, Galen Dara and M. Fersner. Table of Contents: (Alphabetical by author name) Gary Braunbeck, The Friendless Bodies of Unburied Men Chesya Burke, Mountaintown James Chambers, Odd Quahogs Tim Curran, The Thing with a Thousand Legs T. Fox Dunham, The Flesh or the Father Brian Hodge, This Stagnant Breath of Change Kevin Lucia, The Black Pyramid Adrian Ludens, Estranged Josh Malerman, A Fiddlehead Party on Carpenters Farm Nick Mamatas, Rena Mason, Red Hill Lisa Morton, The Ogre Aaron Polson, Undergrounders Mary SanGiovanni, The Floodgates of Willow Hill Lucy A. Snyder, The Abomination of Fensmere Cameron Suey, The Crisis John Sunseri, Homecoming Richard Thomas, White Picket Fences Jay Wilburn, Boss Cthulhu Stephanie Wytovich, The 21st Century Shadow What happens when idyllic small-towns, and the simple folk who inhabit them, collide with inexplicable evil borne of a vast and uncaring cosmos? Imagine a series of stories set in a golden era of American life, where worldly troubles are regarded from a distance, if at all. Hear the buzz of playing cards clipped in children{8217}s spokes echo down quiet lanes. Smell the faint aroma of rich tobacco smoke from an old man{8217}s pipe on a shady boulevard. Listen to the gossip of small towns where everyone knows everyone{8217}s business. Or do they? Sometimes, deadly secrets lurk out in the barn. Sometimes, unimaginable evil awaits us in the root cellar. Sometimes, we fall under the sway of the Shadows Over Main Street. Includes stories and poems by: Stephanie Wytovich, Nick Mamatas, Kevin Lucia, Chesya Burke, Brian Hodge, Mary SanGiovanni, James Chambers, Tim Curran, Aaron Polson, T. Fox Dunham, Richard Thomas, Gary Braunbeck, Adrian Ludens, Rena Mason, Lucy A. Snyder, Cameron Suey, Lisa Morton, Jay Wilburn, John Sunseri, and Josh Malerman. Foreword by Ramsey Campbell. Cover art by Luke Spooner. Interior illustrations from Paul Carrick, Vincent Chong, John Coulthart, Galen Dara and HagCult