The Shadow Hours

by Lori R. Lopez

A rich gathering of poetry with a dismal twilight atmosphere, a brooding nature, an eerie tone . . . DARKVERSE: THE SHADOW HOURS encompasses such pieces written by Lori R. Lopez between 2009 and 2017, collected in three of her Poetic Reflections volumes along with humorous and serious verse. This ample compendium allows a more focused reading experience and mood — presenting poems that share speculative themes, flashes of horror, glimpses of madness.

Lori is the author of THE DARK MISTER SNARK, LEERY LANE, MONSTROSITIES, AN ILL WIND BLOWS, THE FAIRY FLY, CHOCOLATE-COVERED EYES, JAR BABY, SAMHAIN, 3-Z, and SPIDER SOUP, among other tales. She has been called a storyteller, whether composing verse or prose.

The aim of her DARKVERSE series is to offer a chilling trek through unlit stretches where all manner of creeps and kooks may lurk; where graveyards and bogs and full-moons abound. The pages of THE SHADOW HOURS illuminate those morbid uncanny perils and dreads that inhabit drab corners, the known and unknown terrors of the night. Vivid and distinct, her voice echoes our worst fears then delves beyond, exposing hitherto unimaginable frights.

Prepare to confront a motley array of ghouls and menaces that might just move under your bed.

Look for an Illustrated Print Edition with quirky art by the author.

545 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 12, 2017

About the author

Lori R. Lopez wears many hats as an Author and Speculative Poet of Horror, Fantasy, Suspense, Humor and more. She illustrates her books and has written songs, while being an Activist for animals and children.

Growing up, Lori roamed graveyards and conducted funerals for dead birds, squirrels, insects and spiders. Her offbeat books include The Dark Mister Snark, Leery Lane, An Ill Wind Blows, Darkverse: The Shadow Hours, Odds & Ends, and The Fairy Fly.

In 2023 Lori won Third Place in the Long Category for the SFPA Poetry Contest for “Wake Unto Death”. Her Poetry Collection Darkverse was nominated for an Elgin Award and a Finalist in the Kindle Book Awards. Her poems “Crop Circles” and “Nocturnal Embers” were nominated for the Rhysling Award in 2020, “Social Graces” and “The Whistle Stop” in 2021, “Biting Sarcasm” in 2022, “The Whippoorwill” and “If Houses Could Talk” in 2023, “Had She Lived” in 2024. Poems “The Maw” and “creatures of the macabre” received Editor’s Choice Awards among other honors.

Stories and verse have appeared in The Sirens Call, The Horror Zine, Space & Time, Spectral Realms, JOURN-E, Weirdbook, Bewildering Stories, Dreams & Nightmares, Impspired, Altered Reality, Aphelion, and anthologies such as California Screamin’ (the Foreword Poem), HWA Poetry Showcases II, III, V, VI, and IX, Journals Of Horror, Grey Matter Monsters, Dead Harvest, Fearful Fathoms I, Terror Train I and II, Trickster’s Treats #3, Speculations III (Weird Poets Society), and In Darkness We Play.

A member of the Horror Writers Association, Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association, and Lewis Carroll Society Of North America.

Visit the Fairy Fly Entertainment Website Lori shares with her two talented sons, and their YouTube Channel @FairyFly. They have a Folk Band called The Fairyflies.

Reviews

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shadow Hours is the kind of collection that makes readers pause - look up - think - smile - feel - before going in for another. That's awesomeness!

Since its title is Darkverse, #1, there is the hope of more to come. To that, I am looking forward.

I continue to be a fan of Lori R. Lopez. I've not read anything by her I did not enjoy. To call her a poet is insufficient. An artist of great talents ... that gets much closer.

[Kevin Breaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was offered this to review. I am a member of the HWA and this was sent this to read and review for the new awards. I read it. And recommend it. Why? Cause I enjoyed it. Great work. You have to give credit to artists in their genres.

[Christina Sng · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darkverse is a collection of beautifully lyrical and narrative poems reminiscent of songs written in longhand, sung in soft whispers, in gentle tongues. I have a great fondness for "DarkVerse", "Shadow Hours", "grimmest", "the calm after the storm", and "one step too far". A joyful, wonderful read!

[Joshua Gage · Rating 1 out of 5]

Darkverse: The Shadow Hours by Lori R. Lopez seems to be an illustrated omnibus of attempted horror poetry. Most of the poems in this volume suffer from basic craft issues and seem to be either linguistic trifles with little depth or prose chopped into weak line breaks. Very few of them seem edited or curated, and the enormous length of this volume makes for a difficult read indeed.

Full review here: http://www.sfpoetry.com/sl/reviews/17...