by the Really Scary Crew

Staci Layne Wilson probably will receive enough comparisons to Poppy Z. Brite to fill a large sarcophagus. And that's too bad. Not because we're not fans of Brite, of course we are, but because Wilson has a demented, slightly skewed vision that's all her own and she reveals it quite succinctly in her anthology Horrors of the Holy: 13 Sinful, Sacrilegious, Supernatural Stories. [Plus we really like cool alliteration.]

Wilson also cleverly manages to stay away from the "same" curse that afflicts many single-author anthologies -- that's when all the stories sound the f 'in same. How does she manage to do this? We think it's by using...wait for it...her imagination! These 13 stories all have interesting settings, premises, characters you either recognize or want to run away from, and they suck you in [no vampire puns were hurt in the making of this review].

There are stories with great twist endings ala Robert Bloch but that's not a shtick. She mixes it up well, we care about characters and in short stories, achieving that can be a feat.

And although we didn't find any weak ones, we of course, do have our favorite stories [and since I'm writing we over and over, I should explain that. It's not the royal we, although sometimes we do think highly of ourselves around here. Actually when we review anything at Really Scary, the whole crew gives it a read, watch or listen and then we get together and beat the hell out of each other to see whose review counts. All right, that's not entirely accurate; we kind of debate and listen to one another and all that other democratic fou-fou stuff...and then we beat the hell out of each other.] Favorite stories included the amazingly gruesome "The Tooth Shall Set You Free" and the mystical "Losing My Religion," which we'd love to see continue in a novel.

And we know these people. The beyond-her-prime high school homecoming queen is skewered marvelously in "Portait of a Lady," the young girls in "Goddamned Rock Star" probably partied at the same club as us, and we'll probably more fully understand the couple in "Slumber Party" when we're long gone dust. All these characters will invoke someone you know, want to know or wish you were. That's what draws you in, and the storytelling keeps you.

Wilson even takes on the long-lost art of the short-short with "Lupercalia" and a take on Valentine's Day you'll remember long past the chocolates are gone and the flowers are dead.

Another very important part of Wilson's writing that we enjoyed immensely was she's funny! What more could you ask for -- these are neat little grotesque, gory tales with misshapen forms that sometime resemble humans and they make us laugh -- ah bliss. "Always Amber" and "Anti-Christ Superstar" are perfect examples.

Well, we've droned on long enough. Go pick up this book and give Staci Layne Wilson your undivided attention. Actually it won't matter if you give it willingly, because she'll grab it, rip it away from you and you'll thank her for it later.