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Fright Into Flight
From the earliest depictions of winged goddesses to the delicate, paperwinged fairies of the Victorians, from valiant Valkyries to cliff-dwelling harpies, from record-setting pilots to fearless astronauts, women have long since claimed their place in the skies, among the clouds and beyond.
Word Horde presents Fright Into Flight, the debut anthology from Amber Fallon (The Terminal, The Warblers), in which women take wing. In these stories connected by the unifying thread of flight, authors including Damien Angelica Walters, Christine Morgan, and Nadia Bulkin have spread their wings and created terrifying visions of real life angels, mystical journeys, and the demons that lurk inside us all. Whether you like your horror quiet and chilling or more in-your-face and terrifying, there’s something here for every horror fan to enjoy.
You’re in for a bumpy ride… So fasten your seatbelt, take note of the emergency exits, hold on to your airsick bag, and remember that this book may be used as a flotation device in the event of a crash landing.
Table of Contents
“Introduction” – Amber Fallon
“The Floating Girls: A Documentary” — Damien Angelica Walters
“I Did it for the Art” – Izzy Lee
“Wilderness” – Letitia Trent
“The Silk Angel” – Christine Morgan
“Cargo” – Desirina Boskovich
“Consent” – Nancy Baker
“Bruja” – Kathryn Ptacek
“I am No Longer” – Nancy Kilpatrick
“Faceless” – Shannon Lawrence
“Every Angel” – Gemma Files
“Cosmic Bruja” – Leza Cantoral
“With the Beating of Their Wings” – Martel Sardina
“Deathside” – Allyson Bird
“Thlush-a-lum” – Rebecca Gomez Farrell
“The Fallen” – Pamela Jeffs
“And When She Was Bad” – Nadia Bulkin
Cover Art by Peter Nicolai Arbo
Cover Design by Scott R Jones
Word Horde presents Fright Into Flight, the debut anthology from Amber Fallon (The Terminal, The Warblers), in which women take wing. In these stories connected by the unifying thread of flight, authors including Damien Angelica Walters, Christine Morgan, and Nadia Bulkin have spread their wings and created terrifying visions of real life angels, mystical journeys, and the demons that lurk inside us all. Whether you like your horror quiet and chilling or more in-your-face and terrifying, there’s something here for every horror fan to enjoy.
You’re in for a bumpy ride… So fasten your seatbelt, take note of the emergency exits, hold on to your airsick bag, and remember that this book may be used as a flotation device in the event of a crash landing.
Table of Contents
“Introduction” – Amber Fallon
“The Floating Girls: A Documentary” — Damien Angelica Walters
“I Did it for the Art” – Izzy Lee
“Wilderness” – Letitia Trent
“The Silk Angel” – Christine Morgan
“Cargo” – Desirina Boskovich
“Consent” – Nancy Baker
“Bruja” – Kathryn Ptacek
“I am No Longer” – Nancy Kilpatrick
“Faceless” – Shannon Lawrence
“Every Angel” – Gemma Files
“Cosmic Bruja” – Leza Cantoral
“With the Beating of Their Wings” – Martel Sardina
“Deathside” – Allyson Bird
“Thlush-a-lum” – Rebecca Gomez Farrell
“The Fallen” – Pamela Jeffs
“And When She Was Bad” – Nadia Bulkin
Cover Art by Peter Nicolai Arbo
Cover Design by Scott R Jones
246 pages, Paperback
Published September 4, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 20, 2018
4.5 stars!!
I want to thank Ross over at Word Horde for being so incredibly kind to me over the years and sending me books to read and review. Definitely one of my favorite indie publishers out there.
Fright Into Flight is one of my favorite anthologies now and I'll forever recommend it for several reasons.
Reason #1. I think Amber Fallon did an amazing job curating this collection. If someone asked me, I could probably point to the stories that I think inspired this theme--most likely the Damien Angelica Walters story, The Floating Girls: A Documentary (2014 Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction) which was by far my favorite piece. Also a story I read before in Nadia Bulkin's collection, She Said Destroy called, And Then She Was Bad is also a stand out piece and I recommend everyone buy that Bulkin collection. She's a "one to watch" author. I can't wait to read a novel.
Reason #2. I'm thrilled this anthology is a "NO BOYS ALLOWED" club. It's no accident that this collection came on the scene with a similarly titled anthology edited by the legendary Bad Ass of Horror, Stephen King--which was a Boy's Club themed anthology. *rolling my eyes*
I think these days, it's a huge misstep to not invite any women to the table of Horror. Let's all agree that there are plenty of women in the industry that can scare the shit out of anyone with the best of them. Ladies are bitchin' and this collection is the proof in the pudding.
Reason #3. I found some new authors to love!! Damn that story, I Did It For The Art by Izzy Lee was POW! Right in the KISSER!! I was so shocked by Izzy's unflinching storytelling. I'm definitely going to be looking for more from her. There were only a few stories that didn't quite work for me but only in comparison to the amazing talent-had I read those stories apart from being back to back with some of my favorite authors, I probably would have enjoyed them more--but that's just the nature of an anthology. It's hard not to make comparisons when you're reading different authors back to back every 15-20 pages or so.
I think every fan of horror needs this collection, there's something for everyone here and I think it's important to be supportive of the ladies in an industry so bent towards the dudes.
I want to thank Ross over at Word Horde for being so incredibly kind to me over the years and sending me books to read and review. Definitely one of my favorite indie publishers out there.
Fright Into Flight is one of my favorite anthologies now and I'll forever recommend it for several reasons.
Reason #1. I think Amber Fallon did an amazing job curating this collection. If someone asked me, I could probably point to the stories that I think inspired this theme--most likely the Damien Angelica Walters story, The Floating Girls: A Documentary (2014 Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Superior Achievement in Short Fiction) which was by far my favorite piece. Also a story I read before in Nadia Bulkin's collection, She Said Destroy called, And Then She Was Bad is also a stand out piece and I recommend everyone buy that Bulkin collection. She's a "one to watch" author. I can't wait to read a novel.
Reason #2. I'm thrilled this anthology is a "NO BOYS ALLOWED" club. It's no accident that this collection came on the scene with a similarly titled anthology edited by the legendary Bad Ass of Horror, Stephen King--which was a Boy's Club themed anthology. *rolling my eyes*
I think these days, it's a huge misstep to not invite any women to the table of Horror. Let's all agree that there are plenty of women in the industry that can scare the shit out of anyone with the best of them. Ladies are bitchin' and this collection is the proof in the pudding.
Reason #3. I found some new authors to love!! Damn that story, I Did It For The Art by Izzy Lee was POW! Right in the KISSER!! I was so shocked by Izzy's unflinching storytelling. I'm definitely going to be looking for more from her. There were only a few stories that didn't quite work for me but only in comparison to the amazing talent-had I read those stories apart from being back to back with some of my favorite authors, I probably would have enjoyed them more--but that's just the nature of an anthology. It's hard not to make comparisons when you're reading different authors back to back every 15-20 pages or so.
I think every fan of horror needs this collection, there's something for everyone here and I think it's important to be supportive of the ladies in an industry so bent towards the dudes.
July 30, 2019
3.5 Stars
So often I hear readers complain about a lack of female authors writing in the horror genre. However, those assumptions are simply not true. This anthology goes to show that the horror genre is alive and well with so many fantastic female voices!
I absolutely love the backstory behind the creation of this collection. Last year, when Stephen King edited an all-male horror anthology, Amber Fallen responded by curating this anthology featuring a diverse lineup of all-female authors.
This anthology was themed around the concept flight, which was explored in a variety of different ways. Some of the stories were quite literal, taking place either on planes or in airports, while other stories had more abstract interpretations of the theme. The stories were all well written and unique, often blending together elements of horror, fantasy and science fiction. The collection featured some of my favourite authors, like Damien Angelica Walters and Nadia Bulkin, as well as many new-to-me authors. As always with anthologies, I enjoyed some stories more than others. I wished I had connected with more of the stories, but there were a few stories that made the entire collection worth reading.
My favourite stories were:
"The Floating Girls: A Documentary" by Damien Angelica Walters
An eerie collection of documentary transcripts about a particularly haunting event. I had previously read this story in the author’s collection, Cry Your Way Home, but I was more than happy to reread it.
"Cargo" by Desirina Boskovich
A compelling space opera narrative that gave me serious Firefly vibes.
“The Fallen” by Pamela Jeffs
Another science fiction story in the collection. This one explored the concepts of artificial intelligence and sentience.
“And When She was Bad” by Nadia Bulkin
This is a darkly beautiful story that turned the “Final Gir”l trope on its head to create a tale of female power and resilience. I originally read it in the author’s collection, She Said Destroy, but I was more than happy to read it again since it’s my all-time favourite story by this author.
Needless to say, I would highly recommend this anthology to anyone looking to find new female horror authors or simply want to read a great collection of female centric narratives.
Disclaimer: I requested a digital copy from the publisher, Word Horde.
So often I hear readers complain about a lack of female authors writing in the horror genre. However, those assumptions are simply not true. This anthology goes to show that the horror genre is alive and well with so many fantastic female voices!
I absolutely love the backstory behind the creation of this collection. Last year, when Stephen King edited an all-male horror anthology, Amber Fallen responded by curating this anthology featuring a diverse lineup of all-female authors.
This anthology was themed around the concept flight, which was explored in a variety of different ways. Some of the stories were quite literal, taking place either on planes or in airports, while other stories had more abstract interpretations of the theme. The stories were all well written and unique, often blending together elements of horror, fantasy and science fiction. The collection featured some of my favourite authors, like Damien Angelica Walters and Nadia Bulkin, as well as many new-to-me authors. As always with anthologies, I enjoyed some stories more than others. I wished I had connected with more of the stories, but there were a few stories that made the entire collection worth reading.
My favourite stories were:
"The Floating Girls: A Documentary" by Damien Angelica Walters
An eerie collection of documentary transcripts about a particularly haunting event. I had previously read this story in the author’s collection, Cry Your Way Home, but I was more than happy to reread it.
"Cargo" by Desirina Boskovich
A compelling space opera narrative that gave me serious Firefly vibes.
“The Fallen” by Pamela Jeffs
Another science fiction story in the collection. This one explored the concepts of artificial intelligence and sentience.
“And When She was Bad” by Nadia Bulkin
This is a darkly beautiful story that turned the “Final Gir”l trope on its head to create a tale of female power and resilience. I originally read it in the author’s collection, She Said Destroy, but I was more than happy to read it again since it’s my all-time favourite story by this author.
Needless to say, I would highly recommend this anthology to anyone looking to find new female horror authors or simply want to read a great collection of female centric narratives.
Disclaimer: I requested a digital copy from the publisher, Word Horde.
August 6, 2018
Fright Into Flight was such a great collection. These are all stories specifically by women related to flight in some way. I was introduced to quite a few authors I hadn't read before, and I can't wait to check out more of their work.
With the exception of one, I absolutely loved every story in here. The one story I didn't care for definitely wasn't bad; I just didn't love it. So many of them were 5⭐, though. My top favorites were The Floating Girls: A Documentary by Damien Angelica Walters, I Did It for the Art by Izzy Lee, Cargo by Desirina Boskovich, and And Then She Was Bad by Nadia Bulkin. It was my first time reading all 4 of those authors.
My only issue is that I think these stories deserve a better cover. It may just be me personally, but I don't know of I would pick this book up in a store based off of the cover. These stories are spooky and beautiful, and the cover just doesn't give me that vibe.
A common thread that I noticed in many of the stories was loneliness. I think that it's pretty easy to connect with the collection as a whole, and to get wrapped up in these women's stories. These stories are creative and unique, and I think there's something for all horror readers in here. It's a fantastic variety. Thank you so much to Word Horde for sending this to me. Fright Into Flight will be out on 9/4!
With the exception of one, I absolutely loved every story in here. The one story I didn't care for definitely wasn't bad; I just didn't love it. So many of them were 5⭐, though. My top favorites were The Floating Girls: A Documentary by Damien Angelica Walters, I Did It for the Art by Izzy Lee, Cargo by Desirina Boskovich, and And Then She Was Bad by Nadia Bulkin. It was my first time reading all 4 of those authors.
My only issue is that I think these stories deserve a better cover. It may just be me personally, but I don't know of I would pick this book up in a store based off of the cover. These stories are spooky and beautiful, and the cover just doesn't give me that vibe.
A common thread that I noticed in many of the stories was loneliness. I think that it's pretty easy to connect with the collection as a whole, and to get wrapped up in these women's stories. These stories are creative and unique, and I think there's something for all horror readers in here. It's a fantastic variety. Thank you so much to Word Horde for sending this to me. Fright Into Flight will be out on 9/4!
September 3, 2018
My huge thanks to WordHorde for sending me a copy of this one to read and review.
This is an important collection, and a hugely successful one in my opinion. I have already been sharing my love for it and will definitely be recommending it to people who want a good horror anthology, are interested in trying out some new authors they might not have heard of, or just can't get enough of the ladies of horror fiction!
One of the main reasons I was itching to get my hands on this book is because of the King curated collection of the same theme that didn't feature a single female author. Well, Amber Fallon was like, we don't need any smelly invitation to be in your collection, we will just make our own. And so she did. BAM.
There are some women who have already made a name in the horror community in this collection as well as some I'd never read before. I loved the diversity of the stories, the different styles, settings, and voices that were brought to the table.
These three were my favorites:
Damien Angelica Walters's story that opens the collection, "The Floating Girls: A Documentary"—someone remind me to go buy her new book IMMEDIATELY. What a brilliant, inventive story, one I will definitely read again.
"Wilderness" by Leticia Trent has major Shirley Jackson vibes mixed with Trent's effortless prose. Creeping dread levels high!
Nadia Bulkin's "And When She Was Bad" has me moving her books up on my TBR list. I've not yet read any of her books and if this story is any indication, I need to get started!
I am grateful, impressed, and overjoyed that Fallon curated such a great collection. In social and political times like what we are currently going through, it is even more important than ever to support artists, especially women. Writers get to the truth. Stories show us our fears, our weaknesses, and how we might persevere.
The horror genre tends to be male-dominated, but this is an in-your-face reminder that ladies have something to say too, and it's just as badass and downright terrifying as anything that men are bringing to the table.
I can't say enough good things about this book. It is one that horror fans should definitely collect and take note of—these writers are damn talented and I can't wait to uncover their backlists and see what they might come out with next.
This is an important collection, and a hugely successful one in my opinion. I have already been sharing my love for it and will definitely be recommending it to people who want a good horror anthology, are interested in trying out some new authors they might not have heard of, or just can't get enough of the ladies of horror fiction!
One of the main reasons I was itching to get my hands on this book is because of the King curated collection of the same theme that didn't feature a single female author. Well, Amber Fallon was like, we don't need any smelly invitation to be in your collection, we will just make our own. And so she did. BAM.
There are some women who have already made a name in the horror community in this collection as well as some I'd never read before. I loved the diversity of the stories, the different styles, settings, and voices that were brought to the table.
These three were my favorites:
Damien Angelica Walters's story that opens the collection, "The Floating Girls: A Documentary"—someone remind me to go buy her new book IMMEDIATELY. What a brilliant, inventive story, one I will definitely read again.
"Wilderness" by Leticia Trent has major Shirley Jackson vibes mixed with Trent's effortless prose. Creeping dread levels high!
Nadia Bulkin's "And When She Was Bad" has me moving her books up on my TBR list. I've not yet read any of her books and if this story is any indication, I need to get started!
I am grateful, impressed, and overjoyed that Fallon curated such a great collection. In social and political times like what we are currently going through, it is even more important than ever to support artists, especially women. Writers get to the truth. Stories show us our fears, our weaknesses, and how we might persevere.
The horror genre tends to be male-dominated, but this is an in-your-face reminder that ladies have something to say too, and it's just as badass and downright terrifying as anything that men are bringing to the table.
I can't say enough good things about this book. It is one that horror fans should definitely collect and take note of—these writers are damn talented and I can't wait to uncover their backlists and see what they might come out with next.
July 24, 2018
Review coming to Booklist Magazine and blog in September
July 10, 2018
”Maybe, somewhere deep down in our reptilian brains, we know that the sky doesn’t belong to us humans. We might borrow it sometimes, poke our shiny sky scrapers and our pretty parachutes into its blue vastness, but we will never truly own it.”
We didn’t ask, but Fallon definitely delivered. Anthologies for me are rarely a 5 star read because there must be a dud or 2 in there but this is a solid collection of stories that did not disappoint. From girls floating off into space to space witches to walking through life with your own monster - these stories are unique and thought provoking... Amber Fallon really knows how to pick them.
We didn’t ask, but Fallon definitely delivered. Anthologies for me are rarely a 5 star read because there must be a dud or 2 in there but this is a solid collection of stories that did not disappoint. From girls floating off into space to space witches to walking through life with your own monster - these stories are unique and thought provoking... Amber Fallon really knows how to pick them.
September 17, 2018
This anthology is a great curation of some of the greatest living writers in the weird fiction/horror genre. Favorites include Nadia Bulkin's "And then She Was Bad," along with stories from Gemma Files, Izzy Lee, and many others.
July 6, 2019
This collection is OK. I am not a fan of horror, and this collection did not change my mind about that. None of the stories seemed particularly horrifying. However, three of the stories stick in my mind.
"The Floating Girls: A Documentary," by Damien Angelica Walters.
This story is a jewel with surprising depth. The anguish of the narrator is more powerful for being understated. There is almost no plot, but theme and atmosphere carry the story.
"Consent," by Nancy Baker
Every word in this story is significant. Pay attention when you read it. Realization of what is actually going on dawned on me halfway through. Wait, what? I had to go back to the beginning to grasp the clues that Ms. Baker had provided. In the end, the story turns into an in-your-face polemic, but I was OK with that.
"And When She Was Bad," by Nadia Bulkin
This would have been just another story of female empowerment, but the protagonist is so engaging that the reader is entirely on her side.
"The Floating Girls: A Documentary," by Damien Angelica Walters.
This story is a jewel with surprising depth. The anguish of the narrator is more powerful for being understated. There is almost no plot, but theme and atmosphere carry the story.
"Consent," by Nancy Baker
Every word in this story is significant. Pay attention when you read it. Realization of what is actually going on dawned on me halfway through. Wait, what? I had to go back to the beginning to grasp the clues that Ms. Baker had provided. In the end, the story turns into an in-your-face polemic, but I was OK with that.
"And When She Was Bad," by Nadia Bulkin
This would have been just another story of female empowerment, but the protagonist is so engaging that the reader is entirely on her side.
Read
June 13, 2020Interesting collection of short stories from female writers. Many of them were horror or darkly tinted sci-fi/fantasy, each related somehow to the concept of flight. I enjoyed the mix of styles and genres, a little different from the usual themed anthology.
My favourite stories were:
Wilderness by Letitica Trent - loved the creepiness of this one, reminded me of Shirley Jackson or Richard Matheson
The Silk Angel by Christine Morgan - a hopeful fantasy set in World War One, wonderful characters, the optimism in this one caught me off guard
The Floating Girls: A Documentary by Damien Angelica Walters - thematically interesting and beautifully written, I'd love to read this story as a novel
And When She Was Bad by Nadia Bulkin - Dreamy, dark imagery and a great final girl character study
My favourite stories were:
Wilderness by Letitica Trent - loved the creepiness of this one, reminded me of Shirley Jackson or Richard Matheson
The Silk Angel by Christine Morgan - a hopeful fantasy set in World War One, wonderful characters, the optimism in this one caught me off guard
The Floating Girls: A Documentary by Damien Angelica Walters - thematically interesting and beautifully written, I'd love to read this story as a novel
And When She Was Bad by Nadia Bulkin - Dreamy, dark imagery and a great final girl character study
June 25, 2020
Most short story collections are inconsistent and this one is no exception. But the unique theme, all-female authors, and a couple great stories make this book worthwhile. Especially the supernatural gangster tale by Gemma Files called Every Angel. And Nadia Bulkin is always amazing.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews