From hauntingsand oblivion to monsters, murder, and anthropomorphism, A Graveside Gallery: Tales of Ghosts and Dark Matters, by award-winning author Eric J. Guignard, explores the literary off and macabre that reside in the vast shadows of our existence.
In “A Kingdom of Skulls and Marigolds,” a gay Hispanic teen in 1950s Los Angeles, mourning the loss of a friend, has a chance to make amends during Day of the Dead.
In “Bummin’ to the Beat of the Road,” a Beat-era youth leaves home to travel the land, only to find madness, murder, and the teeth of a new generation.
In “The Ascending Lights of Yu Lan,” an embittered sailor in 1917’s San Francisco Wharf encounters an immigrant from China who offers peace from ghosts.
In “Perchance to Dream in Voices of a Fiend,” an intimate epilogue is suggested to the famous novel Frankenstein, offering a more hopeful closure to the characters’ lives.
…and fifteen masterful others.
Visit Eric J. Guignard’s second collection and behold that which is captivating, startling, and darkly enriching.
Dark bleatings, my grave tribe! I’m reviewing another collection today (what can I say? I just love short stories!), and I think you guys are going to love it. In my usual fashion, I’m taking it story by story. For the TLDR crowd (as my friend Erik always says), my overall opinion is at the bottom of this page.
Penny’s Diner
Liked it: a trucker goes into a diner and blurts out an incredible recent trauma to his waitress. He soon finds that this is no ordinary diner. It’s a modern gothic tale with a lot of emotion.
A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds
Loved it: During the annual Day of the Dead, a man uses magic to try to reconnect with the source of his guilt, and most likely his love, too. There’s horror here but it’s really a lovely story in the end, about redemption and facing your own truth.
If I Drive Before I Wake
Liked it: Danny gets an autonomous car and, of course, something goes awry! I view this as a cautionary tale about the uses and reliance and obsession with AI.
Bummin’ to the Beat of the Road
Liked it but I don’t think I quit understood it: A guy is being driven somewhere by a man with dentures, who seems obsessed with teeth. Though I’m not sure I fully understood what was happening, it was very eerie.
The Telephone Game
Loved it and it’s one of my favourites: it would make a great episode of a horror anthology show. Janice receives a panicked call from a woman who says a man claiming to be her (Janet’s) dad got in touch. Janice is pretty annoyed by this because her dad has been dead for years. That is only the tip of the iceberg though because things are about to get much scarier.
The Tale of Samuel Whiskers Continued; or A London Digression
Loved it: An old-fashioned telling of a married rat couple looking for a safe space and a live meal. Funny, whimsical, and grisly while also being delightful.
Drink, Drink From the Fountain of Death
Not my cup of tea: Two guys search for the Fountain of Youth, but will there be unexpected nasty consequences if they actually find it? I didn’t connect with this one for some reason.
Ritual Sacrifice to the Great God of Skates
Not my cup of tea: Roller skating has never been so devious…but I didn’t connect with this one either.
The Man Over Andersonville
Liked it: Written in letter form, which I always enjoy. A man is suffering an illness and doesn’t think he’ll make it home. Another man is suffering beside him – they are both SUPER unwell. The second man, as it turns out, is not down with the same type of sickness as the first guy, and it gives the first guy gross ideas about how he might heal himself. I winced at the end, but it was great.
A Stroke of Death
Liked it: a rich murderous crime lord discovers an artist with the supernatural ability to kill people by painting them. I thought this was going to have the predictable ending that one might assume comes with an artist with this ability at the mercy of a gangster. I was pleasantly surprised to not be entirely right because the author threw in an extra sting.
The Shimmer of Trees
Not my cup of tea: I’ll summarise this one with a quote from the story.
“…I ponder such things, of the dreams and riddles of life, as to what is “natural”, and what is not,”
Ommetaphobia
Loved it: A man who was born blind can one day inexplicably see. The problem is what he can see that no one else can (and it’s not what you think). What a great idea!
The Ascending Lights of Yu Lan
Liked it: a man of poor moral character finds himself in a hell of his own making. A nice karmic story!
Two Hearts Make A Half; or, Ghosts of a Rodeo Clown
Liked it: you know what I enjoy more than werewolves? Other were-creatures that I don’t expect to see…
Perchance to Dream in Voices of a Fiend: A Fanciful Epilogue to Frankenstein
Loved it: Written in letter form, a favourite style of mine. The creature is still out and about, and has a brand new face. I love how the author matched Shelley’s writing style, and also captured the point of the novel.
Incident at the Red Hawk Road Stop
Liked it: A fortune teller predicts the death of a real piece of crap man, but there’s a very bothersome element to it (outside of the obvious).
O Shades, My Woe
Not my cup of tea: I’m so sorry but I can’t tell you what this one’s about because I just don’t remember it and my notes were absolute gibberish.
Carmine Lips and a Fade Into Oblivion
Liked it: Two people decide to see out the end of the world in the most fun way possible. Horrific but also quite romantic.
The First Order of Whaleyville’s Divine Basilisk Handlers
Liked it: a church going community is under the seige of basilisks, for a specific purpose. Very different!
Overall, as you have read, this was an ever so slightly mixed bag but with much much more that I really enjoyed than things I didn’t. I think it would make a great addition to your collection if you enjoy short horror stories. If you’d like to check out the book or the author, I’ve popped some links below for you:
Bleeeeat!
Happy Goat Horror 
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