By Silvia Moreno-Garcia
There’s a new Lovecraft anthology in the works and it’s got a twist. Whispers from the Abyss is geared towards the “commuter market” – in other words, people who read on the subway or during lunch break. It is looking for short stories that can be enjoyed in one sitting.
From their website:
“Like Lovecraft’s own work, the horror in this anthology aims to be subtle and subjective. The mind and its inner working are a far more terrifying place than the actual corridors of R’lyeh or the Mountains of Madness.”
I’m not familiar with the publishing company, 01 Publishing, but the idea seems sane. I’ve thought more than once that the future of short story markets lies in tapping into the commuters by offering flash fiction for consumption on cell phones and other e-devices. I know I don’t have a lot of time to read, which is one big reason why I read short fiction. Mind you, I also read a lot of nonfiction.
In full disclosure, I learnt about this antho when they contacted me, soliciting a story. Guidelines for Whispers from the Abyss can be found here.
Before closing, Lovecraft: A Darker Key is a mixed media group exhibition taking place in Portland at the Sanctuary Tattoo and Art Gallery. Fourteen artists and fifty works are on display through May 1. Check it out if you are around.