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Spawn 2: More Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies
Curated by Deborah Sheldon, this second volume follows the multi-award-winning and multi-award-nominated anthology of Australian dread, Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies.
Spawn 2 interprets and reinterprets pregnancy, birth and babies in a myriad of unexpected ways that will frighten, shock, disgust, horrify, surprise, and move you. Penned by established authors and fresh new voices, these stories range from the folkloric and phantasmagorical, through sci-fi and cybernetics, to historical and the occult.
Prepare for an intimate, anxious, eviscerating read.
Spawn 2 interprets and reinterprets pregnancy, birth and babies in a myriad of unexpected ways that will frighten, shock, disgust, horrify, surprise, and move you. Penned by established authors and fresh new voices, these stories range from the folkloric and phantasmagorical, through sci-fi and cybernetics, to historical and the occult.
Prepare for an intimate, anxious, eviscerating read.
- GenresShort StoriesHorror
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 25, 2024
8 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Sheldon
78 books277 followersI'm a multi-award-winning author and anthology editor from Melbourne, Australia. I write poems, short stories, novelettes, novellas and novels across the darker spectrum of horror, crime and noir. My latest titles are the novel Nightmare Reef and the poetry collection The Broonie and Other Dark Poems.
My award-winning titles include the novella Redhead Town and the collection Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories. My award-nominated titles include the novels Bodily Harm, Cretaceous Canyon, Body Farm Z, Contrition and Devil Dragon; the novella Thylacines; and the collections Figments and Fragments: Dark Stories and Liminal Spaces: Horror Stories.
My short fiction has appeared in many well-respected magazines, been shortlisted for numerous awards, translated, and included in various 'best of' anthologies such as Year's Best Hardcore Horror.
I've won the Australian Shadows 'Best Edited Work' Award three times: for Midnight Echo 14, and for the anthologies I conceived and edited, Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies, and Killer Creatures Down Under: Horror Stories with Bite.
Other credits include TV scripts such as NEIGHBOURS, feature articles, non-fiction books published by Reed Books and Random House, stage plays, award-nominated poetry, and award-winning medical writing including Better Health Channel.
My award-winning titles include the novella Redhead Town and the collection Perfect Little Stitches and Other Stories. My award-nominated titles include the novels Bodily Harm, Cretaceous Canyon, Body Farm Z, Contrition and Devil Dragon; the novella Thylacines; and the collections Figments and Fragments: Dark Stories and Liminal Spaces: Horror Stories.
My short fiction has appeared in many well-respected magazines, been shortlisted for numerous awards, translated, and included in various 'best of' anthologies such as Year's Best Hardcore Horror.
I've won the Australian Shadows 'Best Edited Work' Award three times: for Midnight Echo 14, and for the anthologies I conceived and edited, Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies, and Killer Creatures Down Under: Horror Stories with Bite.
Other credits include TV scripts such as NEIGHBOURS, feature articles, non-fiction books published by Reed Books and Random House, stage plays, award-nominated poetry, and award-winning medical writing including Better Health Channel.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 11, 2024
Thanks to all the contributors for their wonderful stories, and to IFWG Publishing for having faith in the anthology!
September 11, 2024
I’m so thrilled to have contributed a story to this Australasian collection of body horror tales!
Through an extraordinary range of stories, this anthology plumbs the depth of the psychological and physical fears associated with producing offspring through stories that make you grimace, laugh, squirm and question.
As a person who has birthed two children and has the scars and stretch marks to prove it, I found pregnancy, birth and babies a wonderfully fertile and visceral ground for story ideas. I really enjoyed writing “Body of Work” and I hope that comes across for readers.
Thanks to editor nonpareil Deborah Sheldon for including my story. Add Spawn 2 to your TBR pile today!
Through an extraordinary range of stories, this anthology plumbs the depth of the psychological and physical fears associated with producing offspring through stories that make you grimace, laugh, squirm and question.
As a person who has birthed two children and has the scars and stretch marks to prove it, I found pregnancy, birth and babies a wonderfully fertile and visceral ground for story ideas. I really enjoyed writing “Body of Work” and I hope that comes across for readers.
Thanks to editor nonpareil Deborah Sheldon for including my story. Add Spawn 2 to your TBR pile today!
February 9, 2025
Spawn 2 is a fantastic collection of wildly varied stories. I liked 95 percent of them, and i think that's an amazing hit rate.
September 24, 2024
Warning, “Not a recommended read for expecting parents”.
SPAWN2 – more real horror stories about pregnancy, birth and babies, (edited by Deborah Sheldon) is a collection of short stories that kick you in the vagina. Filled with the worst experiences a woman could imagine, each story demands a visceral response from the reader.
Yet despite the horror, the collection ends as it begins, with optimism. Body of Work by Lily Mulholland and The Stranger in my Yard by kat Pekin, explore the leap of faith a woman takes when she meets a man with a plan who promises a maybe happily ever after. I would argue in some ways optimism is the greatest horror a mother can experience, in that a man is not a plan and there is no guarantee of happily ever after.
Do not be taken in by stories that appear benign. Stories of trysts on a beach (Respect by Carole Kelly) and trysts that haunt our fantasies (We have children now by Anthony O’Connor) leave the reader with a lingering unease of what a woman will accept to have a child.
Many of the stories contain themes of abandonment: by lovers, parents and society. Even here, the mothers show they are willing to do the unthinkable to make a future for their child (Mother of Horrors by Emma Rose Darcy and Envelops by Matt Tighe). There are also stories of consumption (Chop–Shop by Samuel M. Johnston and Flesh of My Flesh by Ben Matthews) and of retribution (The Green Woman by Rachel Denham-White). But the aspect that draws them together is a protagonist who never wavers from their path, never doubts their decisions or regrets their actions. These are stories of women who are aware that the world is unfair, that life doesn’t turn out the way you want it and waste no time living it the only way they know how.
Overall, there are too many stories that crept up on me when my mind wandered and robbed me of sleep. These were the ones where the writers put the reader in a quandary of what would we do to save the world from our children (Too Full by Deryn Pittar) or save ourselves (Latch by H.K. Stubbs). For what could be more horrific than being the mother of a monster.
SPAWN2 – more real horror stories about pregnancy, birth and babies, (edited by Deborah Sheldon) is a collection of short stories that kick you in the vagina. Filled with the worst experiences a woman could imagine, each story demands a visceral response from the reader.
Yet despite the horror, the collection ends as it begins, with optimism. Body of Work by Lily Mulholland and The Stranger in my Yard by kat Pekin, explore the leap of faith a woman takes when she meets a man with a plan who promises a maybe happily ever after. I would argue in some ways optimism is the greatest horror a mother can experience, in that a man is not a plan and there is no guarantee of happily ever after.
Do not be taken in by stories that appear benign. Stories of trysts on a beach (Respect by Carole Kelly) and trysts that haunt our fantasies (We have children now by Anthony O’Connor) leave the reader with a lingering unease of what a woman will accept to have a child.
Many of the stories contain themes of abandonment: by lovers, parents and society. Even here, the mothers show they are willing to do the unthinkable to make a future for their child (Mother of Horrors by Emma Rose Darcy and Envelops by Matt Tighe). There are also stories of consumption (Chop–Shop by Samuel M. Johnston and Flesh of My Flesh by Ben Matthews) and of retribution (The Green Woman by Rachel Denham-White). But the aspect that draws them together is a protagonist who never wavers from their path, never doubts their decisions or regrets their actions. These are stories of women who are aware that the world is unfair, that life doesn’t turn out the way you want it and waste no time living it the only way they know how.
Overall, there are too many stories that crept up on me when my mind wandered and robbed me of sleep. These were the ones where the writers put the reader in a quandary of what would we do to save the world from our children (Too Full by Deryn Pittar) or save ourselves (Latch by H.K. Stubbs). For what could be more horrific than being the mother of a monster.
January 25, 2025
The book starts out with an informative intro from Sheldon, giving readers a bit of personal background as to why these horror stories about pregnancy, birth, and babies were important for her to share. Sheldon also promises an eclectic mix of stories that will satisfy many readers. I can vouch for that. There is a fantastic assortment of stories in Spawn 2, which makes me all the more excited for what the third book will offer. I can’t wait!
There are twenty-two unique and thrilling stories in the anthology, ranging from light-hearted to absolute gory horror. I adored the variety, and it was exciting to see how so many authors interpreted the theme. I will list my top stories in a bit, and it was quite difficult to choose. Spawn 2 is a well-curated collection of short horror. The stories stood out and some just plain wowed me to my core.
Many stories are sci-fi or fantastical, some fall into folk horror. One thing that applies to all of them, though, is that you can feel the intense currents of emotions running through them, especially in the expectations of the characters. There is a palpable feeling of fear and dread in all of the tales.
For the full spoiler-free review AND blurbs about my top 8 stories: https://robinknabel.squarespace.com/r...
There are twenty-two unique and thrilling stories in the anthology, ranging from light-hearted to absolute gory horror. I adored the variety, and it was exciting to see how so many authors interpreted the theme. I will list my top stories in a bit, and it was quite difficult to choose. Spawn 2 is a well-curated collection of short horror. The stories stood out and some just plain wowed me to my core.
Many stories are sci-fi or fantastical, some fall into folk horror. One thing that applies to all of them, though, is that you can feel the intense currents of emotions running through them, especially in the expectations of the characters. There is a palpable feeling of fear and dread in all of the tales.
For the full spoiler-free review AND blurbs about my top 8 stories: https://robinknabel.squarespace.com/r...
December 4, 2024
I should mention up front that I have a story in this here anthology. It's the one called "We Have Children Now" and I flatter myself that it's pretty good. You should read it, hey.
However, it's FAR from the only reason to grab this scary, uncomfortable, subversive collection of creepy, grisly and thought-provoking yarns. This is, frankly, an embarrassment of riches as some of Australia's most radiantly evil genre talents combine their dark arts for a project that's guaranteed to get under you skin.
And stay there... growing...
Incisive, cerebral and at times downright disturbing, Spawn 2 is a must-read for anyone who has ever been born, knows someone who has been born or intends to be born at a later date.
However, it's FAR from the only reason to grab this scary, uncomfortable, subversive collection of creepy, grisly and thought-provoking yarns. This is, frankly, an embarrassment of riches as some of Australia's most radiantly evil genre talents combine their dark arts for a project that's guaranteed to get under you skin.
And stay there... growing...
Incisive, cerebral and at times downright disturbing, Spawn 2 is a must-read for anyone who has ever been born, knows someone who has been born or intends to be born at a later date.
November 29, 2024
Wow! What a roller-coaster (in the very best sense of the word). Bottom line, expect the unexpected in this anthology. It will take you places you never anticipated with the writers interpreting the theme in kaleidoscopic ways. Nominally 'body horror' the tales range across a smorgasbord of sub-genres including weird, supernatural, folklore, dark fantasy, science fiction, psychological horror and more. Much more. At times I couldn't put it down, other times I wanted to look away but couldn't. Expect to be moved, shocked and horrified. It's as good if not better than the first Spawn anthology. Highly recommended!
November 20, 2024
Spawn is a collection of stories that delve into the gross, freaky and horrifying aspects surrounding birth, like the title implies. There's a lot of really interesting ideas and disgusting takes on the themes with quite a lot of variety! It's an intense and engaging read!
It feels very surreal to have the opportunity to be included in this anthology and I'm excited for people to read mine and all the other great contributor's work. I'm thankful to the team for letting me present my take on some visceral ideas that I hope can spook and get people thinking!
It feels very surreal to have the opportunity to be included in this anthology and I'm excited for people to read mine and all the other great contributor's work. I'm thankful to the team for letting me present my take on some visceral ideas that I hope can spook and get people thinking!
November 25, 2024
Fascinating, scary, frightening, provoking... all thrilling.
Especially loved 'Respect' by Carole Kelly.
All stories though are expertly curated... every one of them a page-turner in their own right.
Especially loved 'Respect' by Carole Kelly.
All stories though are expertly curated... every one of them a page-turner in their own right.
November 30, 2024
A modern masterpiece of body horror. Visceral, raw, surprising and memorable. I am beyond stoked to be one of the contributing authors.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews