Unearthed

The Speculative Elements #3

by Sherry D. Ramsey (Editor, Contributor), Julie A. Serroul (Editor, Contributor), Nancy S.M. Waldman (Editor, Contributor)

Earth--the ground of our being, the dust from which we come, and to which we will return. Imagine what might arise from and disappear into the soil...what grows, what is buried, what teems unseen. This collection, exploring the ends of the Earth and beyond, offers tales from the depths of zombies, vampires, murky unknowable worlds, underground prisons, malevolent spirits--to the lightest earthen magic, little people, buried treasure and fantastical creatures! Dig in. These twenty-one stories will thrill, scare, surprise and delight.

Genres: Science Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2012

About the author

Sherry D. Ramsey is a speculative fiction writer, internet publisher, artist, creativity addict, co-founder of Third Person Press, and Second Life denizen. She's published by Tyche Books and Dreaming Robot Press, and dabbles in self-publishing as well. She lives in Nova Scotia with her husband, two children, two dogs, and a stack of novels in various stages of completion.

Sherry is a member of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia, and a past Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer of SF Canada. She is currently serving as SFC's webmistress.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a hand in making this book. I am proud of it. I also have a story in and it is, I think, good. So with that full disclosure, I will say that this book is full of imaginative, well-written stories that I think you'll enjoy. In the introduction, Michael G. MacDonald, a professor of communications, did a small synopsis of each of the stories. Have a look:

“Wherever You Call Home” by Peter Andrew Smith offers an insight into what might happen if a couple of spectral members of Highland clans Campbell and MacDonald were forced to revisit their old feud. Throw in other competing peoples and spirits who might have to cooperate, and there are lessons to be learned for all. Even better? The battleground is rural Cape Breton.

“Grass” by Donald Tyson is a creepy tale that will make you very careful when selecting a campsite. If a guide who knows the area isn’t comfortable with a place, you might want to heed that warning; maybe there’s was something more than superstition to the eighty-year-old story.

“Motion Words” by Joyce MacDonald brings us far out into a universe of exploration and trade, with a xenolinguist from Unamak'i (the Mi’kmaq name for Cape Breton Island) serving on a distant planet. She is comforted by memories of the music and dance of home while stationed on this ominous world of mud. What was causing all those strange seismic disturbances?

“Fitting In” by James F. W. Thompson makes us wonder just how much one would do to survive a zombie apocalypse. This story blends humour with the loneliness of a survivor who might be the last of his kind among the multitude of living dead. Not the usual guns-blazing head-shot kind of zombie story, for sure!

In “Rainclouds on Her Face” by Walter Carey, we see the power of connection no matter what definition of family we wish to use. We also see the importance of dreams and the attachment to one’s homeland. How does time affect relationships? How unconditional is love?

“To Soar The Endless Sky” by Lorena Mann takes us into the realm of the last dragons. As humanity encroaches on this noble race, is there anything left for the final survivor of her line than revenge against the humans?

As we explore “The Cache” by Sherry D. Ramsey, we see a man teaching his girlfriend’s son about geocaching. Is he able to bond with this child for the sake of his relationship with the mother? More to the point, exactly what is hidden in that cache, and who—or what—planted it there?

“Dog Fight” by Stephanie Snow takes us into the realm of the loathsome practice of dog fighting. But could a special breed of man and his partner Marcel have a surprise waiting for the people who pit dog against dog?

“Terminal” by Bruce V. Miller presents a lonely man dealing with illness in a disturbingly possible near future to which we can relate. As he seeks solutions to the world’s ills, he reaches out with emails to a former lover who might never answer.

Taking a dare might not be the most mature thing to do, but in “The ExtraOrdinary” by Larry Gibbons, the teenage protagonist has his reasons. What would it be worth to any of us to face the places underneath our streets, and underneath our graveyards?

“Dream A Little Dream” by Wade Rideout explores the fabric of the dream world, and what nightmares may really mean. Who do we meet, what do we find, and what do we lose in this land beyond dreams?

“Perfect Instruments” by Ken Chisholm dissects aspects of a planned terrorist act in very interesting ways. What if other agents (and I don’t mean from the CIA) were at work in the free choices people make? This story is a brief and interesting look at how influence might happen.

“Our Last Vacation” by Jenn Tubrett introduces a world of possibilities in which many of us might love to live. Imagine any place or time as your vacation spot! Perhaps a romantic getaway is order, or a chance to witness a historic tragedy. What time or place would you pick to talk about your relationship problems?

Could it be fear of death that influences the main character in “The Choice” by Alicia Serroul? This story is subtle; rather than deal with what happens after we die, it makes one wonder what happens before death has our surrender, especially if someone/something gives us a choice.

Sometimes a lad needs to learn his lesson. In “The Boy With Two Faces” by Wesley J. Colford, we see a young man who plays a few too many pranks on people. What if someone had the power to send him a valuable message? Would he learn? Would it be too late?

“Mud Pies” by Nancy S. M. Waldman examines a world of magical recipes and practices, and includes the mundane tasks and hard work that goes into the family business of healing and divination. Sometimes, all it takes to break the routine is a visit from a distant cousin; sometimes, that’s when the trouble starts.

“One Word” by Katrina Nicholson presents a frightening future of prisoners held to work in a dangerous mine. Being forced labour is bad enough, but not being allowed to speak? Perhaps death is preferable. But what if you meet someone worth living for?

“Harvest” by Kerry Anne Fudge is a look at vampires and werewolves that is a refreshing perspective compared to so much of the recent works about these creatures. What happens when a self-serving, greedy vampire hunter trespasses into this world?

“The Dwarf Under The Step” by Mona Anderson is an example of a title that presents the main point of the story quite well. This story is a fascinating look at what happens when a nephew goes to the old country to claim his inherited small estate. Sometimes, it’s better to get to know a place well before discussing your concerns with the locals.

Wouldn’t you love to hear what other people are thinking? In “Overheard” by Meg Horne, we find a richly developed tale that looks at how hearing others’ thoughts might actually function in our lives. Would we get the context right? Is it a blessing or a curse?

“Uprooted” by Julie A. Serroul closes this volume with an intriguing story of a world within our world. We see the different people side by side, but with one striving to hide its presence from the other. What if we learned about a race that lives very unlike the way we do, and how might we respond to this knowledge? Perhaps it’s better to keep some people from learning too much. But what if love begins to bloom?

See? Take a chance on this book, available from http://thirdpersonpress.com in e-book and print editions.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is an great collection of fantasy/speculative fiction stories. I am one of the writers, but had never met, or read, most of the other authors until our book launch, June 30, 2012. It was quite an eye opener to see the array of talent in such a small volumne. There are 2 previous books in this series, "Undercurrents", and "Airborne", produced and published by Third Person Press, and one more to come "Flashpoint" to make up the 4 elements Water, Air, Earth and Fire. All Cape Breton writers. Have a read of this great collection.

[Sherry D. Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume is Third Person Press' third anthology, and, speaking as one of the editors (so of course I might be just the tiniest bit biased), a really great collection of stories. It's a wide-ranging mix of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and paranormal. The "unearthed" theme was interpreted in wonderfully diverse and imaginative ways by the contributors, so there's something for everyone here, whether you like your fiction dark, light, humorous or chilling.