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The Earth Bleeds At Night: Anthology of Horror
Delve into the abyss with “The Earth Bleeds At Night,” an anthology that plunges you into the heart of darkness and implores you to What terrors are capable of making the very earth bleed?
Featuring a haunting lineup of award-winning authors alongside the most promising new talents in horror fiction, these stories promise to unveil terrors that will haunt your dreams. From the eerie whispers of literary horror to the blood-curdling screams of campfire tales, each narrative will drag you deeper into the void.
Open this book if you dare.
Let the earth bleed.
***
Featuring Original Stories and Poems
Jonathan Louis Duckworth, M. Edusa, David-Jack Fletcher, C.M. Forest, Philip Fracassi, Maxwell I. Gold, Laurel Hightower, Patrick Hurley, Ai Jiang, Jenny Kiefer, Joe Koch, Dexter McLeod, Christi Nogle, Christopher O'Halloran, Em Starr, Richard Thomas, SJ Townend, Mark Towse, Ally Wilkes
Featuring a haunting lineup of award-winning authors alongside the most promising new talents in horror fiction, these stories promise to unveil terrors that will haunt your dreams. From the eerie whispers of literary horror to the blood-curdling screams of campfire tales, each narrative will drag you deeper into the void.
Open this book if you dare.
Let the earth bleed.
***
Featuring Original Stories and Poems
Jonathan Louis Duckworth, M. Edusa, David-Jack Fletcher, C.M. Forest, Philip Fracassi, Maxwell I. Gold, Laurel Hightower, Patrick Hurley, Ai Jiang, Jenny Kiefer, Joe Koch, Dexter McLeod, Christi Nogle, Christopher O'Halloran, Em Starr, Richard Thomas, SJ Townend, Mark Towse, Ally Wilkes
294 pages, Paperback
Published January 2, 2025
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212 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 27, 2024
If "The Earth Bleeds At Night" is any indication of what's in store for horror anthologies in 2025, then the year's going to be a blast! The book includes brilliant tales from so much talent, I feel 100% justified giving it a five-star review. The stories are all very strong, selected both for their emotional impact and originality of ideas, with an emphasis on fear and darkness rather than shock and disgust. Some brief remarks on selected stories follow.
The only story I'd read before was "I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted" by Philip Fracassi, and it remains an all-time favorite, creepy, powerful, and suspenseful. The one poem included, "Dark Abscissions: When the Last Tree Bleeds," by 'cosmic horror poet' Maxwell I. Gold, opens the anthology with several unsettling lines (such as "through the teeth of man-made gods" - a line I loved, and I don't even read poetry!).
Two authors unknown to me had hugely impressive stories in the anthology: Dexter McLeod with "You’ll Catch Your Death," a blend of folk horror, urban legend and ghosthunting, and M. Edusa with "The Empty After," a weird military horror tale with the best last lines in the book ("In some strange corners of the world, the earth bleeds in the night. But I don’t. Not anymore.").
The most memorable stories for me, however, were "VAPORCOIN" by Jonathan Louis Duckworth (such a creepy take on cryptocurrency!) and "A Mousy Little Thing" by Christi Nogle (I can't praise this story highly enough: the imagery, the concepts, everything! It kept me at my toes till the horrific ending - go into it blind!).
The stories I found especially dark and steeped in atmosphere, were the ones by two well-known authors: "The Dreaming Box" by Laurel Hightower (a first-personal account of a woman in a box; it's not what you think) and "A Thousand Forbidden Weddings and a Song for Dead Darlings" by Ai Jiang (about ritualistic marriages between the dead). Two stories I have great difficulty summarizing (they're so immersive it's worth experiencing them on your own) were Joe Koch's "Godslingers" and the anthology's closing tale, "Supplication" by Richard Thomas: Koch never disappoints - prose and imagery reach very high levels of queer sensuality, the words twisting and spiraling till you feel a bit violated - in the best way possible; Thomas stretches language to tell what seems to be a visionary story of counter-intuitive eco-horror, perhaps best described in its own words as "a hypnotic pattern glinting in the odd beam of moonlight"!
Three stories I found quite disturbing, were "Holes, Souls" by SJ Townend, "To the Bone" by David-Jack Fletcher, and "When the Moon Turns Red" by Mark Towse: excellent writing meant to shake up familiar truths and refute conventional expectations - the first about family and death, the second about loneliness and mental issues, and the third about marriage and old age. All three might have been published separately as a short book: I felt they complemented each other wonderfully.
Last but not least, a story I think everyone will enjoy and pick as a favorite is C. M. Forest's "It Is the Night!": a story full of suspense, with great dialogue and characterization, about a female journalist being invited to interview a filthy rich man whom she has consistently criticized publicly - from this simple premise, a terrific horror story unfolds, with a satisfying ending!
In sum, the anthology is brimming with rich prose, technical skill, and emotionally harrowing situations. I'm sure everyone will find something here to savor, a story that will resonate with them for some time. This is the perfect horror anthology to start 2025 with!
The only story I'd read before was "I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted" by Philip Fracassi, and it remains an all-time favorite, creepy, powerful, and suspenseful. The one poem included, "Dark Abscissions: When the Last Tree Bleeds," by 'cosmic horror poet' Maxwell I. Gold, opens the anthology with several unsettling lines (such as "through the teeth of man-made gods" - a line I loved, and I don't even read poetry!).
Two authors unknown to me had hugely impressive stories in the anthology: Dexter McLeod with "You’ll Catch Your Death," a blend of folk horror, urban legend and ghosthunting, and M. Edusa with "The Empty After," a weird military horror tale with the best last lines in the book ("In some strange corners of the world, the earth bleeds in the night. But I don’t. Not anymore.").
The most memorable stories for me, however, were "VAPORCOIN" by Jonathan Louis Duckworth (such a creepy take on cryptocurrency!) and "A Mousy Little Thing" by Christi Nogle (I can't praise this story highly enough: the imagery, the concepts, everything! It kept me at my toes till the horrific ending - go into it blind!).
The stories I found especially dark and steeped in atmosphere, were the ones by two well-known authors: "The Dreaming Box" by Laurel Hightower (a first-personal account of a woman in a box; it's not what you think) and "A Thousand Forbidden Weddings and a Song for Dead Darlings" by Ai Jiang (about ritualistic marriages between the dead). Two stories I have great difficulty summarizing (they're so immersive it's worth experiencing them on your own) were Joe Koch's "Godslingers" and the anthology's closing tale, "Supplication" by Richard Thomas: Koch never disappoints - prose and imagery reach very high levels of queer sensuality, the words twisting and spiraling till you feel a bit violated - in the best way possible; Thomas stretches language to tell what seems to be a visionary story of counter-intuitive eco-horror, perhaps best described in its own words as "a hypnotic pattern glinting in the odd beam of moonlight"!
Three stories I found quite disturbing, were "Holes, Souls" by SJ Townend, "To the Bone" by David-Jack Fletcher, and "When the Moon Turns Red" by Mark Towse: excellent writing meant to shake up familiar truths and refute conventional expectations - the first about family and death, the second about loneliness and mental issues, and the third about marriage and old age. All three might have been published separately as a short book: I felt they complemented each other wonderfully.
Last but not least, a story I think everyone will enjoy and pick as a favorite is C. M. Forest's "It Is the Night!": a story full of suspense, with great dialogue and characterization, about a female journalist being invited to interview a filthy rich man whom she has consistently criticized publicly - from this simple premise, a terrific horror story unfolds, with a satisfying ending!
In sum, the anthology is brimming with rich prose, technical skill, and emotionally harrowing situations. I'm sure everyone will find something here to savor, a story that will resonate with them for some time. This is the perfect horror anthology to start 2025 with!
January 8, 2025
*Thank you to Michelle and Eerie River for sending me a digital ARC of this one!*
When this anthology was announced, I was super excited for it to arrive in the world. Knowing Holly’s love of folk horror and folk lore, I knew this would be curated with a fantastic batch of stories that would make the reader uneasy.
One thing I find with anthologies – especially with themed ones – is that the flow of story-to-story has to make sense, has to feel like they’ve each been placed like precious puzzle pieces just perfectly to aid in how I respond to it, and I was delighted to find that it did just that.
But what of the individual stories themselves?
Let’s find out!
What I liked: As a massive fan of creepy trees, odd horns and things standing in the corner when the lights are flicked on, ‘The Earth Bleeds At Night’ is stuffed to the brim with all of that, while also adding in a dose of other elements.
Highlights for me were;
‘You’ll Catch Your Death’ by Dexter McLeod. A slab of Clive Barker inspired madness, this story follows a couple who – don’t they always? – makes the mistake of choosing the wrong B ‘n’ B. While there, they learn of the dreaded entity known as The Lord of Meat and – rightly – chaos ensues. McLeod wrote this one with a perfect mix of gore and mental instability, making me question why I loved it so much, when so many horrible things happen in a tight page count.
‘Water Drops on Stone Hearts’ by Christopher O’Halloran. Jesus Christ on the cross. This story reworks how your heart beats and then some. Simple synopsis – shitty mom learns of her daughters death and goes to her funeral. Complex synopsis – death weaves its way through time and space to connect two who lost that connection. There’s a lot of deep metaphorical elements in this one and it forces you to re-read the ending a few times, coming to grips with the hellish beauty of a story you just consumed. Well done.
‘A Mousy Little Thing’ by Christi Nogle. This one was easily the most unnerving story – even more than O’Halloran’s – in that from the first sentence of the story, you know something’s off, just not right. It follows a girl with an extraordinary gift, but one that comes with a cost and horrifying ripples. I’ll be avoiding every mud puddle I ever see again in my life.
The absolute highlight for me though, of all the stories, was C.M. Forest’s deliciously dark ‘It Is the Night!’ Think del Toro’s ‘The Strain’ only mixed with archeological elements. The story follows an investigative reporter who has been writing ‘hit-pieces’ on a noted and reclusive Billionaire. The Billionaire then extends an invitation to her, to interview him, but only with one caveat, it’s taking place on his private jet. We learn the horrible truth, what it all means to the woman, and ultimately, Forest packs in an entire novel’s worth of lore, back story and themes in about 10K words. Outstanding.
Overall, most of the stories hit the beats really effectively and the writing shined in those ones.
What I didn’t like: I will say, there were a few stories that simply fell flat for me. They started strong and tapered off, or just never hit the right reading currency for me. Anthologies are always a case of readers connecting with different stories, so as always, the ones I loved may be ones you don’t enjoy and vice versa.
Why you should buy this: Eerie River has put on a lot of really solid and wonderful books and ‘The Earth Bleeds At Night’ is another solid anthology of solid stories. This one has something for everyone and each story will take the reader on wild and crazy journey’s.
Overall, a really well done anthology that will most likely cause you to never sleep in the dark again.
When this anthology was announced, I was super excited for it to arrive in the world. Knowing Holly’s love of folk horror and folk lore, I knew this would be curated with a fantastic batch of stories that would make the reader uneasy.
One thing I find with anthologies – especially with themed ones – is that the flow of story-to-story has to make sense, has to feel like they’ve each been placed like precious puzzle pieces just perfectly to aid in how I respond to it, and I was delighted to find that it did just that.
But what of the individual stories themselves?
Let’s find out!
What I liked: As a massive fan of creepy trees, odd horns and things standing in the corner when the lights are flicked on, ‘The Earth Bleeds At Night’ is stuffed to the brim with all of that, while also adding in a dose of other elements.
Highlights for me were;
‘You’ll Catch Your Death’ by Dexter McLeod. A slab of Clive Barker inspired madness, this story follows a couple who – don’t they always? – makes the mistake of choosing the wrong B ‘n’ B. While there, they learn of the dreaded entity known as The Lord of Meat and – rightly – chaos ensues. McLeod wrote this one with a perfect mix of gore and mental instability, making me question why I loved it so much, when so many horrible things happen in a tight page count.
‘Water Drops on Stone Hearts’ by Christopher O’Halloran. Jesus Christ on the cross. This story reworks how your heart beats and then some. Simple synopsis – shitty mom learns of her daughters death and goes to her funeral. Complex synopsis – death weaves its way through time and space to connect two who lost that connection. There’s a lot of deep metaphorical elements in this one and it forces you to re-read the ending a few times, coming to grips with the hellish beauty of a story you just consumed. Well done.
‘A Mousy Little Thing’ by Christi Nogle. This one was easily the most unnerving story – even more than O’Halloran’s – in that from the first sentence of the story, you know something’s off, just not right. It follows a girl with an extraordinary gift, but one that comes with a cost and horrifying ripples. I’ll be avoiding every mud puddle I ever see again in my life.
The absolute highlight for me though, of all the stories, was C.M. Forest’s deliciously dark ‘It Is the Night!’ Think del Toro’s ‘The Strain’ only mixed with archeological elements. The story follows an investigative reporter who has been writing ‘hit-pieces’ on a noted and reclusive Billionaire. The Billionaire then extends an invitation to her, to interview him, but only with one caveat, it’s taking place on his private jet. We learn the horrible truth, what it all means to the woman, and ultimately, Forest packs in an entire novel’s worth of lore, back story and themes in about 10K words. Outstanding.
Overall, most of the stories hit the beats really effectively and the writing shined in those ones.
What I didn’t like: I will say, there were a few stories that simply fell flat for me. They started strong and tapered off, or just never hit the right reading currency for me. Anthologies are always a case of readers connecting with different stories, so as always, the ones I loved may be ones you don’t enjoy and vice versa.
Why you should buy this: Eerie River has put on a lot of really solid and wonderful books and ‘The Earth Bleeds At Night’ is another solid anthology of solid stories. This one has something for everyone and each story will take the reader on wild and crazy journey’s.
Overall, a really well done anthology that will most likely cause you to never sleep in the dark again.
December 28, 2024
This is an absolutely brilliant collection of horror stories. They ranged from the outright gruesome, to the haunting and nightmare-inducing. All of them are well-written and engaging-pulling the reader into different forms of terror-each disturbing in their own way.
There were a few standout stories for me. You’ll Catch Your Death-a couple heading to an isolated B&B pass through a town embodying cult-like vibes; A Thousand Forbidden Weddings and a Song for Dead Darlings-two families arranging a marriage between their children ignore the “death do us part” of the vows; The Empty After-a former soldier is haunted by his experiences and is ready to die (the last line of his story sticks with you: “In some strange corners of the world, the earth bleeds at night. But I don’t. Not anymore.”); To The Bone-a man dealing with constant voices in his head finds out that not everything he experiences is imaginary; When the Moon Turns Red-on a evening like any other evening, the moon has a reddish hue, and the events following will change a couple’s lives forever.
Horror fans, this collection is a must read for 2025.
There were a few standout stories for me. You’ll Catch Your Death-a couple heading to an isolated B&B pass through a town embodying cult-like vibes; A Thousand Forbidden Weddings and a Song for Dead Darlings-two families arranging a marriage between their children ignore the “death do us part” of the vows; The Empty After-a former soldier is haunted by his experiences and is ready to die (the last line of his story sticks with you: “In some strange corners of the world, the earth bleeds at night. But I don’t. Not anymore.”); To The Bone-a man dealing with constant voices in his head finds out that not everything he experiences is imaginary; When the Moon Turns Red-on a evening like any other evening, the moon has a reddish hue, and the events following will change a couple’s lives forever.
Horror fans, this collection is a must read for 2025.
April 29, 2025
The best anthology I’ve yet read from Eerie River, with a truly impressive lineup of writers.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
February 6, 2025
This is such a great anthology. And the ToC is so varied, it was nice to see that it wasn’t just made up of the usual suspects.
Top 5 stories for me - which is worth the price of admission itself - are:
It is the night by CM Forest. Man, the atmosphere and set up for this one killed! A journalist gets to interview a billionaire recluse who she’s maimed in the press. No spoilers but the lore and pay off made it my absolute favourite story I’ve read this year.
A dirty job by Patrick Hurley. Crime scene cleaners are called in after a suicide. Only, what they find cannot be scrubbed away. The concept is fantastic, writing solid, is a movie in the making.
You’ll catch your death by Dexter McLeod. Classic set up, batshit crazy lore, nicely weaved together.
Devils Ridge by Jenny Kiefer. For a story set on a mountain side, it’s the most claustrophobic thing I’ve read in a long time.
A mousy little thing by Christie Nogle. Again, what this story had was a great concept executed stupendously well.
There isn’t a bad story among the bunch. Go and read it!
Top 5 stories for me - which is worth the price of admission itself - are:
It is the night by CM Forest. Man, the atmosphere and set up for this one killed! A journalist gets to interview a billionaire recluse who she’s maimed in the press. No spoilers but the lore and pay off made it my absolute favourite story I’ve read this year.
A dirty job by Patrick Hurley. Crime scene cleaners are called in after a suicide. Only, what they find cannot be scrubbed away. The concept is fantastic, writing solid, is a movie in the making.
You’ll catch your death by Dexter McLeod. Classic set up, batshit crazy lore, nicely weaved together.
Devils Ridge by Jenny Kiefer. For a story set on a mountain side, it’s the most claustrophobic thing I’ve read in a long time.
A mousy little thing by Christie Nogle. Again, what this story had was a great concept executed stupendously well.
There isn’t a bad story among the bunch. Go and read it!
January 25, 2025
I really enjoyed this anthology. Some of my favorite horror authors are included, and some interesting contenders. There were a few places that took me out of the stories, small editing things, but one of the better anthologies I’ve read on this front. This group did a great job.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews