Lessons II: Another Morbid Drabble Collection

by Michael Crane, David McAfee

A sinister puppet finally makes a new friend.
A man learns about his bleak future.
A killer has another painful lesson to teach.

From the author of LESSONS AND OTHER MORBID DRABBLES comes this terrifying and amusing follow-up. 30 100-word shorts about horrible ghouls, monsters and deranged, bloodthirsty lunatics. In these drabbles, you’ll run into kid-hungry goblins, sadistic dolls, zombies and psychopaths who believe that violence can solve just about anything.

Disgusting, creepy and darkly comic, LESSONS ANOTHER MORBID DRABBLE COLLECTION is bound to entertain, as well as horrify.

There’s always time for another lesson…

Features bonus story by David McAfee, from his horror collection A POUND OF FLASH

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

41 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 7, 2011

About the author

Michael Crane is an indie author and scribbler of inane babble that can sometimes end up as stories. He went to Columbia College Chicago where he earned a BA in Fiction Writing and drank way too many Red Bulls. He is the author of IN DECLINE and LESSONS AND OTHER MORBID DRABBLES, and he also might've written two books while he was in high school, but they are absolutely dreadful and he cautions people to stay far, far away from them. He lives in Illinois and is always trying to work on something new, unless he's battling stupid writer's block.

Reviews

[Robert Duperre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5 out of 5

Here we are again, folks! Time for another collection of shorts by the incomparable Michael Crane.

Just as with the first volume, Lessons, Lessons II contains upwards of twenty-five "drabbles", complete stories told in exactly 100 words. Also as with the first book, every story the author crafts is entertaining and well worth the read. They suck you in immediately and then punch you in the gut.

I don't know if people really understand how hard it is to write these types of stories. One has to create atmosphere and characterization using an economy of words. And yet here it's pulled off beautifully.

In many ways a collection like this is like a songbook. You have different stanzas and verses, all reflecting a similar theme in different ways. There is horror and comedy, and a twist at the end of nearly every one. From "Solution" (my favorite) to "Punishment", they're small illustrations of everyday problems solved in the most extreme and brutal of ways.

In other words, this is a damn good little collection. My only hope is that the author will start putting out longer works, because his voice needs to be heard in a more fleshed-out format. I, for one, would line up to buy it.

Two great big severed thumbs up from me!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these stories more than the first group. Either the author is refining his art or I just understand and relate more to these stories. The twisted soul, that I am, found delight in this group.

I would love to read some longer stories by this author. There is real talent hidden in these drabbles that I would like to see developed into full stories. I believe my next selection from this author will be In Decline (stories).

Again this book looks to me to be perfectly edited and formatted.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Crane’s typical work is the slice-of-life short story. The kind of characters and situations you’ve seen and often experienced yourself. With drabbles he takes it one step further. These are the fantasy revenges that, while never real, we might still imagine. Or the childhood terror turned real. The drabbles dribbling out of Michael Crane’s warped mind are sometimes horror, always over the top from reality, yet somehow always fun. Dark humor at its finest.

[Connie Rea · Rating 3 out of 5]

ok, so I read the 2nd in the group, even though I didn't really LOVE the 1st book. I have to admitt that although this isn't my *type* of read, the style is slightly addictive! I mean, you know it's going to be a short easy read, and you never know how good the next story might be. I'll never read it again, but I might very well buy the next one if Lessons III comes out :-)

[Josef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great collection of short stories. Some of our favorite characters are brought back too. Again some of the stories are very similar, but with a little twist in the "punchline". All in all very enjoyable!!

[Luis L · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 2nd book of Lessons. Another great series of quick horror/dark comedy stories. Loved it.

[Juliette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first one so much I had to go for round two. Similar in themes, but still entertaining.