Ready for some Cowboys and Cthulhu?

I have a short horror piece in a new anthology called “Eldritch Embraces: Putting the Love Back in Lovecraft.”

Dragon’s Roost Press is the publisher, and the theme is stories that connect love and romance with the Cthulhu mythos or related cosmic horror. Falling in love is scary, right? You suddenly have more to lose, and might even fear losing yourself. And love can lead to scary things like parenthood. The connection between love and a mind filled with wonder and horror doesn’t seem odd to me.

  
In the real world, of course, love frequently works out very, very well. It certainly did for me. In these stories, though, I am guessing that love goes very, very bad.

My story is called “Dark Totem,” and my protagonist is a sheriff in the Old West who is waylaid by love and an ancient horror. As far as I know, mine is the only cowboys-and-Cthulhu tale in the book, but it would be cool if there were more. Hell, that would make a good anthology theme, wouldn’t it?

 My good friend TW Williams has a piece in this book, too; his story is called “Changing Station,” and it is one creepy-ass carnival ride.

I have not read any of the other stories yet, but I look forward to receiving my copy. Here is the lineup:

Table of Contents

When The Stars Are Right by Sarah Hans

Where No Dawn Can Reach by Deborah Walker

The Dread Beneath by Gavin Capener

Stone City Old As Immeasurable Time by Kelda Crich

The Collected Fortunes of Linda Pierce by Marek Jones

The Fine Art Of Fortune Telling by Michelle Ann King

The Rise And Fall Of The Hairless Apes by Tom Johnstone

Dark Totem by Steve Goble

The Lengths That He Would Go To by Dale W. Glaser

Date Of The Old Goat by Deborah Walker

Take This, And Eat by Matthew S. Rotundo

Cold Passion Of Three Hearts by Matthew Wilson

From Beyond The Night Songs Of Mirabelle Zann by B.C. Matthews

The Rimerson Composition by Fredrick Obermeyer

Signs And Hortense by Fraser Sherman (Note: I love this title … — Steve)

Pickman’s Canvas by Alexandra Townsend

The Flower Dancer by Simon Bleaken

Last Fall by Mark Hill

What Sorrows May Come by Lee Clark Zumpe

Those Before The Slumber by Brian Fatah Steele

Something Fishy by Vivian Caethe

Enchantment Over Innsmouth by Stefanie Lazer

Alexa by Charles Payseur

What Lay Below by Christine Rains

Beach House On The Moon by Leigh Kimmel

Casteing Couch by Sharon Diane King

In The Old Earth by Ross Smeltzer

Best In Show by Andrew M. Seddon

Addicted To Madness by Justin Joe Sherman

Descent Of The Wayward Sister by Gabrielle Harbowy

Changing Station by TW Williams (Note: I got to read it before you did, so there! — Steve)

Under Violet Skies by Colleen H. Robbins

That is a lot of squishy, squamous, ululating love stories. 

Here is how to order.

Note: The art accompanying this blog post is by Donald England.