How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend

by Linda Addison

Who doesn’t need to know How To Recognize A Demon Has Become Your Friend? From the first African-American to receive the HWA Bram Stoker award, this award-winning collection of both horror and science fiction short stories and poetry reveals demons in the most likely people (like a jealous ghost across the street) or in unlikely places (like the dimension-shifting dreams of an American Indian). Recognition is the first step, what you do with your friends/demons after that is up to you.

Genres: Horror, Poetry, Short Stories, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Horror Thriller

112 pages, Paperback

First published October 23, 2011

Reviews

[exorcismemily · Rating 5 out of 5]

"They take you to the crossroads / at midnight, you offer / your soul as a door prize."

How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend is a collection of horror & sci-fi poetry and short stories from Linda Addison. I believe this is the first time I've read Linda's work, and I loved it so much! She is so talented at writing both short stories and poetry, and the book switches between the two seamlessly.

This collection is both dark and humorous. The content in How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend is a blend of haunting, hilarious, and heartbreaking. I loved that some of the poems had reoccurring topics, and some of the stories and reoccurring characters.

Linda, if you're reading this...I am begging for a Brenda & Angelique novel. I loved the stories featuring them in this collection, and I'm dying to know more about their family and background. These were such fun witchy stories, and I need more!

My top 5 poems were How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend, Dust to Dust, Mourning Meal, Ghost Driving, and Comic Cannibals. These were an excellent mix of silly and serious.

My top 5 short stories were Night of the Living and Dead, Little Red in the Hood, The Power, Milez to Go, and Artificial Unintelligence (both Brenda and Angelique stories that I mentioned earlier are included).

I can't recommend this collection enough, and I think all horror fans could find something to love here. This would be a great collection for someone looking to get into horror poetry since it has short stories mixed in as well - I know poetry can be intimidating, so this would be an excellent introduction book. I ordered another book of Linda's poetry, and will be reading that soon.

[JasonA · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent collection of horror and science fiction short stories and poetry. I'm not a poetry person, but the short stories were pretty good. I was actually a little surprised, based on the cover art, that more of the stories ended up being sci-fi than horror, but I still enjoyed them.

The majority of the stories ran at ten pages or less. The two longest, and best, are actually about the same characters. After reading the first of these, I definitely wanted to read more about these characters, so I was pretty happy when they returned in the final story. I'd really like to see a full length novel or two featuring these characters.

The poems were all one or two pages in length, so I actually read all of them. I liked them about as much as I can like poetry. They all told an abbreviated story, but nothing with much detail. Poems and short stories alternated, so there were a lot of poems. I'd have probably gone 4 stars had that space been used for another story or two.

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first collection of horror poetry/short stories that I have read and it just opened up a whole new world for me! I was impressed with the tales and short stories, but the poetry was even better than I could have imagined! I had no idea just how dark and twisted poetry could be. I am used to all the long-winded poems of love or loneliness. It's clear to me why and how Linda Addison won a Bram Stoker after this (trivia if you didn't know: she is the first African-American to receive the HWA Bram Stoker award) and I cannot wait for more from her!

[Susy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
Not a big fan of poetry nor short stories but had some hope because I like horror and the cover intrigued me, but alas.

Dust to Dust****
Mourning Meal*
The Power***
Forever Dead**
369 Gates of Hell***.5
Bottling Up De Devil*
Night of the Living and Dead****
Alien Bathroom**
Excerpts from The Unabridged-Traveler’s Guide as UFOs in Galaxy AG2 **.5
Pullus Gogens*
One Night at Sheri-Too-Long’s Popcorn Bar*
Land Sharks*
Little Red in the Hood***
After I Ate the Apple*
Just Passing Through*
Fire/Fight*
The Box***
Sharp, Shiny, Hurting Things**
Future, Past, Imperfect***
Ghost Driving**
Artificial Unintelligence***.5
Comic Cannibals**
Working Up the Corporate Ladder*
Animated Objects*
Live and Let Live*
Bending*
Am I Repeating Myself?***
How Her Garden Grows**
Unrequited***.5
Demon Dance**.5
Boo****
In This Strange Place****
Milez to Go***.5
How to Recognize Your Friend Has Become Your Friend**

[Bek (MoonyReadsByStarlight) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7/5 Stars
This was a really neat book of short stories. None of these were terrifying, but most everything embodied various spooky elements, whether through magic, zombies, or even real-life horror.

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a solid little collection of short stories and poetry. I bought it on a whim after it was recommended to me based on another book I previously bought and I’m so glad I gave into that whim and discovered this author. I definitely plan on reading more of her work and I very much look forward to it! This collection has a little bit of everything for everyone, it dips into a lot of different horror and science fiction themes and has a lot of variety. There’s one or maybe two stories that I wasn’t totally in love with but they didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this collection in any way, they just weren’t quite as amazing as the others. I definitely recommend this collection of stories to all horror and science fiction fans, you don’t want to miss out on these!

[Amy Noire · Rating 5 out of 5]

F*ckin’ A

Fav in collection: ‘Sharp, Shiny, Hurting Things’

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know why I put off reading this for so long. How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend is an excellent collection of horror prose and poetry.

My favorite poems were the clever bookending pair of "How To Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend" and "How To Recognize Your Friend Has Become a Demon," as well as the beautiful "Demon Dance." "Land Sharks" was another favorite.

The stories were all strong, but I had a few favorites among them as well. The collection's two longest stories, "The Power" and "Milez to Go," were companion pieces about two magically gifted cousins, and I could happily read many more stories about both of them. "Excerpts From the Unabridged Traveler's Guide as UFO's in Galaxy A.G.2" was one of the most creative and original stories in the book and made me chuckle more than a few times. Finally, "Boo" absolutely broke my heart. It's rare that such a short story can have such a profound impact on me, but this one had me tearing up by the end.

I'm not aware of any other complete books by Addison, but I would gladly buy and read anything else she comes out with.

[Audra (ouija.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of poetry and short stories, this collection of horror fiction is definitely worth checking out for any fan of the genre.

What I loved best about these stories is that though they all contain dark themes, Addison brings a different dimension to each story. Some are hilarious and some are heartbreaking. Some delve into the supernatural and others offer more realistic horror. This collection definitely held my interest just because I had no idea what was coming next!

The stories are mostly flash fiction, so each is like a nice little break that I kept treating myself with throughout the day.

I will definitely look for more books by Addison—this collection definitely shows her range, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is only the tip of the iceburg.

[Kyle Goins · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this collection of short fiction and poetry. Despite the title, there’s a fair amount of sci-fi spread throughout, and since I love both genres, this worked for me. There are some fantastic five-star short stories in here that are inventive and engrossing. Addison packs a lot of power into a few short pages.

Though I enjoyed one or two of the poems, the poetry didn’t resonate much with me overall. The short fiction was where it’s at in this collection. The Power, 369 Gates of Hell, and Artificial Unintelligence were my favorites, though really all of the short stories are bangers.At times, some of the dialogue does feel very stilted and unnatural, but the originality more than makes up for it.

[H.V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was prepared for horror when I started this collection, but both the breadth and the depth of the stories and poems in here blew me away! There are sci-fi stories here as well as supernatural, and there's an unexpected thread of humor that mixes really well with the horror. This is a very original collection and I highly recommend it!

[Aquila · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend collects horror and science fiction short stories and poetry into one loaded volume. The pieces are one to three pages for the most part, with a few longer stories mixed into the bunch.

There are demons, ghosts, aliens, giant beasts, zombies, dark magic spells, and other things to haunt your nightmares.

[DeAnna Knippling · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short collection of tales and poems, mainly on the darker side. The tales are good; the poems are better. The titular poems are my favorites, and are in fact what pulled me into the collection. Playfulness and experimentation throughout.

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous dark SFF and horror poems and short prose. Addison's style reminds me a lot of Karen Russell. I can't wait to pick up more!

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't a big fan of the poetry, but the short stories were really good; mostly an interesting blend of horror and sci fi. One or two overly hokey ones but on the whole, great. Interested to see what else she writes.

[Adam Sequoyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered this collection by listening to the author promote it on the podcast Writing Excuses. I checked it out, and I'm glad I did! Some of the selections truly creeped me out; most were simply brief, original ideas that engaged me right away. These provided me with my favorite thing about sci-fi, especially short stories: a wonder key that starts my creative cogs cranking!

There were some poems I had trouble understanding. They seemed a little simplistic, or maybe just understated, and their power was lost on me. Overall in her poems and stories, the author seemed to be simply having fun with words, which, in the book's introduction, she expresses as the main reason for her writing. And to me this is freeing -- a permission-slip reminder that I don't have to script an epic fantasy story arc to rival the classics. I can enjoy putting my own pen to the page for even a few pages at a time. Whether I write a masterwork or not is irrelevant. It is satisfying and fun to write any idea that comes to me.

I considered only giving 3 stars for this review since I was consistently derailed as I read by grammatical errors throughout the text. I would have appreciated a better edit. Nevertheless, I was impressed enough with my first read of Addison to keep it at a 4. It's good, and it was unexpected.

[Keely · Rating 3 out of 5]

This horror-themed collection includes both poems and short stories full of demons, witchcraft, ghosts, zombies, aliens and more. My favorite piece in the collection was the micro-story "Night of the Living and the Dead," which features a surprising point of view that's not clear until the story's end. It's really clever and fun.

I wasn't quite as enchanted with the rest of the book. The anchoring stories at the beginning and end of the book are a bit more fleshed out and feature the same two main characters. However, the stories in between are often just vignettes--sketches that get sketchier as the book goes on. They felt underdeveloped to me. I think the collection might have been better with fewer, meatier stories. The poems were fine--I just didn't personally connect with many of them. I did like the idea of combining stories and poetry. However, I thought the overall execution wasn't as strong as it could have been.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

much, much better than the previous collection of short 'horror' stories i read this month, although still lacking the horror element im looking for, but i guess the fantasy genre dominated in this one. i loved a lot of the stories, didn't vibe with most of the poems since i'm not much of a poetry person in general anyways, but the overall ideas were pretty cool, and so was the full circle from the first to the last story, loved the little details in this one. my favourites were probably the one that reminded me of the movie 'warm bodies', the little red in the hood tale, and the excerps from ufo travellers- funny, entertaining and quite a pleasant time spent

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a bit higher hopes for this collection tbh, but it wasn’t bad. It was a nice read, although I mostly preferred the poetry to the short stories (not that the stories were bad, I just couldn’t really get into the writing style that most of them were written in 😅 or maybe I just wasn’t really in the mood for it)

[Luz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the poetry and short stories in this. I was mostly expecting supernatural horror, but there was sci-fi and some comedic horror.
My favorite poems "How to Recognize a Demon has become your Friend" and "How to Recognize your Friend has become a Demon" and my favorite stories were "The Power", "Milez to Go", "369 Gates of Hell', and "Boo".

[Erin Talamantes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never been much a poetry person, I’m not really sure why, but it’s never really been my jam.
I thought that maybe trying out poetry in the horror genre would change my mind since horror is my genre of choice.
But I have to say, I’m still not a big fan of it.
That of course is just my personal opinion. I’m sure if you love poetry, and enjoy horror, this would probably be right up your alley.
Now the short stories were awesome. I loved every second of them and would love to read more from this author because of how much I enjoyed the stories in this collection. They were so fun and unique, they definitely held my attention and I found myself wishing for more of them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this collection, even if the poetry wasn’t exactly my sort of thing.

[Eden Royce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addison's winning a Horror Writer’s Association’s Bram Stoker Award® for excellence in horror is well deserved. This is a collection of poetry and prose.

Addison’s poetry is somehow simultaneously visceral and melodic. Her command of meter is ideal for dark poetry and the resulting work is a dimly lit path you feel compelled to follow. Lulled by the seductive syntax of the verse, it is only at the end of the poem that you realize the character you’ve been following has come to grief.

Addison’s short stories are varied in their scope. Some combine a subtle horror with conjure magic that reminds me of my own childhood. Other stories fuse science fiction elements into the horror for a tale that feels shockingly like a premonition of the not-so distant future. If I can recommend a book to those who love subtle, chilling horror and folklore, it would be How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend. Read it all at once, or read it in sections, taking time to digest each tale. Just make sure you read it.
- See more at: http://www.graveyardshiftsisters.com/...

[Nikola Oruc · Rating 4 out of 5]

It really baffles me this book doesn't have more reviews. It's an extremely fast and enjoyable read.

The short stories are, for the most part, horror, science fiction and weird with poems in between them. If you're afraid of poetry (like I am) you'll love these. They're creepy and wonderful and evoke some beautiful imagery. The writing is straight to the point but not simplified and I was astonished how much of a backstory and characterization Ms.Addison has managed to put into so few pages.

If you're into the genres, this is 100% for you and I'm excited to pick up more of her books.

[Brigitte Bobay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of short stories and poems. I liked almost all of the stories with only one or two that I wasn’t crazy about.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I bought Linda Addison’s horror collection How To Recognize A Demon Has Become Your Friend, I didn’t realize there was quite a bit of poetry in among the stories. I’m not much of a poetry reader, and I won’t comment on it here because I don’t have a lot to say about it except “I thought it was good.” But what I can tell you, is that the stories in here are so good that even if you’re the kind of person who skips over poetry, you will totally get your money’s worth with this book. The stories are that good.

“The Power” is a great story about cousins Brenda and Angelique, who share a certain inherited ability. It kind of seems like the scary neighbor has an interest in them, and it isn’t good. I love the characters of Brenda and Angelique, and you’ll see adult versions of them in a later story, “Milez to Go.” In that tale, Addison seamlessly blends bio-engineering with folk magic, which is difficult to do.

My absolute favorite story in here–the one that could justify the price of the entire book–is “369 Gates of Hell.” A bodyguard named Redi Thomas, who used to be an assassin, is offered one more assassination job. The prize? The ghosts of the people she’s killed will stop haunting her. I could never have imagined where this one would go, and it’s just amazing.

There are multiple stories just kind of exploring the lines between life and death, such as “Dust to Dust” and “Night of the Living and Dead.”

A couple of pieces are either humorous or whimsical in nature, such as “Excerpts from the Unabridged Traveler’s Guide as UFOs in Galaxy A.G.2.,” “Artificial Unintelligence,” “Live and Let Live,” (aliens!) and “Am I Repeating Myself?” Not to mention “Unrequited,” which is both whimsical and explores that line between life and death–in it, a zombie seems to have a strange urge that he’s trying to follow.

There are also a couple of more serious stories that examine things like emotional abuse and bullying. This is truly a wide-ranging collection, one that’s extremely well-written. I hope to read more by Ms. Addison!

Content note: some body horror, decomposition, torture.


Original review posted on my blog: https://www.errantdreams.com/2021/06/...

[Jessie (Zombie_likes_cake) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First October 2020 book is down! And it was a really good one! Every year I save specific books for the happy aka the spooky season, "How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend" has made it on the list due to being full of Horror poetry, having an awesome title and a just as awesome cover. It just had that vibe and it did not disappoint.

Right from the bat, it surprised. Despite it stating clearly on the cover that this is a combination of poetry and prose I did not expect the amount of short stories and flash fiction in this, in the end it was an even 50/50 balance with the poetry. Which turned out to be a really good thing because Addison can do both. Initially, I was more in love with her poetry, she starts out with 3 incredibly strong pieces but then all these amazing fiction pieces started popping up, so I don't know which side of her writing I do prefer by the end, I can't tell for sure. I have to say I was really impressed with the range Addison showed in the fiction pieces so maybe I will give it to prose for now. But seriously, especially considering most of these are flash fiction, meaning between 1-5 pages long, Addison jumps sub-genres very confidently moving from disturbing Dark Fantasy to Cozy witch paranormal stories over to Sci-Fi satire and many more in between. As I said, impressive.

Not a perfect collection, a few pieces here and there did not work for me personally which is not that uncommon when reading collections. But the ones that worked, and they were the majority, were a fresh creepy delight. Very pumpkin approved!

My 4 favorite poems: How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend (both parts)/ Mourning Meal/ Pullus Cogens/ After I Ate the Apple

My 4 favorite stories: 369 Gates of Hell/ Excerpts from the Unabridged Traveler's Guide as UFOs in Galaxy A.G. 2/ Little Red in the Hood/ Unrequited

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My remains have been rudely thrust into the ground without a coffin. There is something unfinished about the whole thing. I wish I could remember dying...My body fluids leak from every opening into the surrounding earth. There is life in me still, if I count the maggots feasting inside."

Wow, this was such a nice surprise! The writing gripped me from the first page. It's rare to find a short story/poetry collection where I enjoyed something in every story and where I also found the writing beautiful. I loved the mix of horror and science fiction and the variety of themes and plots. Some stories were deep and touching while some were funny and satirical.

One of my favorite stories was "The Box". In only 5 pages, Addison showed the real-life horror of the effects of gambling addiction and how it can completely destroy the relationships you have with your loved ones.

Addison's writing shines just as much in her poems, which I've read many times to really absorb their meanings. It shows how much the author loves words and loves to play with them, as she said in the introduction.

Here is an excerpt of one of my favorite poems, "Demon Dance":

"Angels shouldn't dance with demons
for fear of total deconstruction,
the scent of evil will burn their wings,
all souls saved could escape.

Demons shouldn't dance with angels
for fear of redemption,
the scent of good will make them gag,
all souls gathered could escape.

Angels and demons shouldn't dance
for fear of fulfilling End of Days prophecy,
turning off all light in the known universe,
all souls reverting to non-existence."

[Μιχάλης · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 stars for the poems, 2 stars for the short stories.

I am not much for poetry, but I liked the poems. They were well thought out and the langauge was
sparce and effective, the forms fanctional. There was a sense of miscief in them and I would recommend
the book for them.

The short stories are a mix of magical realism, horror, realism and sci fi.
Really short with the exception of two stories, starring the same characters, that run large.
Some of them are really out there, they have this surreal sense and some offbeat ideas.

Kind of reminded me of Ray Bradbury in themes, but definetely not in style.

I found the writing to be simplistic instead of simple and the stories either felt too short
or overstayed their welcome.
I did enjoy the humor of Artificial Unintelligence and I wanted to love Working Up the Corporate Ladder
but the interesting premice was cut abruptly before it was explored at all

Definetely not my cup of tea but you may like it.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection was a brilliant blend of poetry and short stories. I take my time with poetry - it takes me longer to absorb it, to make sure I'm paying attention and taking it in. I loved the flip back and forth between the two mediums, and the changing style and tone of the storytelling. The collection is bookended by the poems the collection is named for, each giving a striking look into tried, and failed, connections. A further set of bookends is provided by the first and last stories, introducing us to Brenda and Angelique, cousins with more than a touch of magic to them, and revisits them as adults in Milez to Go. There is folk horror, fantasy, magical realism, sci fi, and humor throughout this beautiful collection. Highly recommended .

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Power” is a story about childhood friendship with the unreliability of youth in the belief of magic. An excellent example of a perspective we see all too infrequently, and my hands-down favorite of the collection.

I’m an engineer, so I’m pretty impervious to poetry. I don’t feel like I’m a good judge of it, and therefore don’t think it appropriate for me to review the poetry in this collection in any real depth. But the flash fiction is steady and fun throughout. “Dust to Dust” is a nice short story about how life is hell, but singing bones is heaven. “Am I Repeating Myself?” is a great bit of corporate technology hell.