Book Haven: And Other Curiosities - Softcover

Gunnells, Mark Allan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1684545463 ISBN 13: 9781684545469

Publisher: Crystal Lake Publishing, 2019

Synopsis

An eclectic mix of tales to entertain and engage the imagination!

Come peruse the dusty shelves of BOOK HAVEN. Scan the titles, study the strange trinkets that are lined up on display. Maybe pull aside the cobwebs and run your fingers along the spines of the books, caress the artifacts. You will find many forgotten treasures and un-mined gems among the debris.

From the author of Flowers in a Dumpster comes a new collection of short stories to terrify you, to move you, to make you think. In the spirit of High Cotton by Joe Lansdale, Trigger Warnings by Neil Gaiman, and Skeleton Crew by Stephen King, this short story collection offers an eclectic mix of Horror, Scifi, Fantasy, and drama.

• -The title novella features a futuristic landscape where the world’s literature has been lost, and a group of government agents are on the hunt for the mythological Book Haven, a vast secret library.
• -In “C U Soon,” a girl dies in a car accident while texting with her boyfriend, but after her funeral he continues receiving mysterious messages from her.
• -In “The Man Who Watched the Ocean,” a man mourning the loss of a past love decides to try and join her.
• -In “Tanner” a man purchases a used tanning bed in which someone once died and finds that houses aren’t the only places that can be haunted.
• -In “Human Bones in a China Cabinet,” a young man has an unusual collection hidden away in a china cabinet
• -In “The Sandbox,” a friendless boy playing in a sandbox encounters a strange yet familiar old man who shapes the course of his life
• -In “The Farm,” a horror fan visits the location of a cult classic

Some of what you find will be dark and suspenseful, some beautiful and haunting, but all of it is yours for the taking. We’re so glad you found your way here and welcome you inside BOOK HAVEN.

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

Interview with the author:

What makes this short story collection so special?
It is an eclectic mix of subjects, genres, styles, and tones. It gives a broad overview of what I'm capable of as a writer.

Tell us more about the title story.
Book Haven is a tale that is years in the making. I had the idea originally for a short story about a future society where all literature was lost and a government agency was trying to recreate it from memory. Then I decided to expand it into a novella, but when I tried initially I ran into a brick wall and didn't know where to go with it. Later on down the road, a friend suggested I try again as a collaboration with her. We tried it but hit that same wall. Many years passed, almost a decade, but the idea stuck with me, and one day I realized how to break through that wall. I scraped everything previous and tunneled in and finally got the story out.

Why should readers give your work a try?
Because I am a lover of story who takes great pride in crafting tales that are entertaining and satisfying.

Do you have other books fans of this book will be interested in?
Yes, if they like this book they should try some of my other collections. Flowers in a Dumpster is a good place to start.

About this title

Review:

"Mark Allan Gunnells is one of our best short story writers, and this book continues that tradition. I loved reading this collection!"--John R. Little, author of Miranda, The Memory Tree, and The Murder of Jesus Christ

"Gather round, readers. Crack open BOOK HAVEN and watch genres bend to breaking point. Feel your skin crawl. Gladly wonder, awe-struck, as Gunnells stretches his legs, and draws you deeper and deeper into his web. This cabinet of curiosities evokes Lansdale, King, and Bradbury in how it charms as much as it unnerves. From its titular story to its mischievous and almost naughty-naughty finish, you'll find yourself gladly led to the slaughter. And that's Gunnells great talent, really. He makes lambs of us all."--Aaron Dries, author of House of Sighs

About this edition

• Publisher: Crystal Lake Publishing
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1684545463
• ISBN 13: 9781684545469
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 294