It Came from the Great Salt Lake: A Collection of Utah Horror

by K. Scott Forman (Editor)

The Great Salt Lake is a remnant of an ancient lake that was almost as long as the State of Utah. What mysteries does it hold in its briny waters? What secrets lurk in its murky shores?

...a malevolent spirit haunts a pregnant woman, luring her ever closer to the salty depths, yet what it wants is much more horrifying than death...

...the inversion and smog in the Salt Lake Valley carries more than just bad air...

...two locals find more than they bargain for when they unearth an ancient box buried in the salt-caked muck...

...a trip to Wendover turns deadly when something decides to tag along for the ride...

...a young girl hears voices in her head, voices that keep her company. But there's something else in the void of her psyche, something that's growing stronger, something that wants out...

Whether its mystery, apparitions, ancient curses, or a modern day apocalypse, one thing holds all these tales together: The Great Salt Lake. Nestled inside the second anthology of Utah horror, are tales intended to delight a wide range of readers, everything from traditional horror, to romance, comedy and young adult. The authors share a connection to Utah (bringing them closer to the salty depths of the lake) bringing the reader another taste of local talent ranging from the "salty" veteran to the slick greenhorn. Sit back, cuddle up in a warm blanket, and stay away from the water while you enjoy these tales from the Great Salt Lake.

314 pages, ebook

First published February 11, 2016

About the author

K. Scott Forman is a writer and editor. He co-edited and contributed to the first three volumes of Fast Forward: A Collection of Flash Fiction along with working on three more volumes, a novel, and a flash novel for Fast Forward Press. He was also the story selector and editor for It Came from the Great Salt Lake: A Collection of Utah Horror. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa University, and was the recipient of the Robert Creeley Scholarship in 2007. He also received a Master of Arts and Education degree from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Arts in English and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Maryland. Scott teaches English Composition at Weber State University, and was an adjunct faculty member at the National Cryptologic School. Teaching and mentoring students in English and other subjects is a passion: Scott has taught courses in Developmental English, Composition, Research, Writing for Math and Science, and Haiku. He is a member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA) and enjoys long walks in inclement weather, sunsets with blood in them, and Metallica at volumes determined unsafe by the Surgeon General. He has had several short stories and poems published and is currently at work on the Great American Novel. He makes his home in the Rocky Mountains with his family and a collection of guitars.

Reviews

[Terra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclosure: I have a story in this collection.
Like most anthologies, there are some stories I loved in this one and some that I didn't love as much. Overall it is a fascinating look at the things that can come from a collective imagination when focused on something tangible and lasting like The Great Salt Lake in Utah. An anthology, at its heart, is a way to discover new authors you enjoy reading and this one has some great and talented local horror authors for you to discover.

[Kerrigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rounded up to three stars from two for effort. You won’t find a genre breaking think-about-it-for-days stories here but it’s always nice to read local fiction and let it color the landscape I navigate everyday. The last few stories are particularly strong and worth braving the first half for ~if you live in the area~. Essentially if you aren’t connected to the Salt Lake area you won’t find anything here you wouldn’t find on a creepy pasta Reddit thread.

[Christy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little anthology of spooky, chilling, and sometimes thought provoking stories based out of the Salt Lake an already strange area in it's own right. I especially like the last story, May 15th!

[Michael Darling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since my story "Grandmother, Who Breaks the Sky" was selected to lead off this collection, I'm a little ton biased. :) There is a great variety here and a whole lot to like. For my part, if you like Ray Bradbury, I think you'll like my story. And you'll certainly enjoy the other entries in this horrifying and wonderful anthology.

[E. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am one of the contributors in, It Came from the Great Salt Lake, the first anthology I've been a part of, (page 129). What is great about the collection is that every story is the result of a literary prompt as well as a unique background, the Great Salt Lake, an unusual salty lake without an ocean located in Utah. I am impressed with the creativity threaded into each work, and I'm proud to be among these amazingly talented Horror writers.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure, I have story included in this mix, but I have to say how much I love the others! I'm up past my bedtime, freaked out about ants, witches and fire--and that's just one tale. I haven't had this much scare in a while. I like this anthology even better than last year's. Great job. :)