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Exposed Nerves
Exposed Nerves continues the explorations into dark poetry by Stoker Award winner and Shirley Jackson Award nominee Lucy A. Snyder, pairing the author's sly wordplay and imagery with grim introspection. By turns challenging, wryly amusing and gut-wrenching, Snyder's work plumbs bittersweet catharsis and maps a survivor's path through dangerous worlds, both the real and the horrifically imagined.
114 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2021
About the author
Lucy A. Snyder
144 books632 followersLucy A. Snyder is a five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning writer and the author of the forthcoming Tor Nightfire novel Sister, Maiden, Monster. She also wrote the novels Spellbent, Shotgun Sorceress, and Switchblade Goddess, the nonfiction book Shooting Yourself in the Head For Fun and Profit: A Writer's Survival Guide, the poetry collections Exposed Nerves and Chimeric Machines and the story collections Halloween Season, Garden of Eldritch Delights, While the Black Stars Burn, Soft Apocalypses, Orchid Carousals, Sparks and Shadows, and Installing Linux on a Dead Badger.
Her writing has been translated into French, Italian, Russian, Czech and Japanese editions and has appeared in publications such as Apex Magazine, Nightmare Magazine, Pseudopod, Strange Horizons, Steampunk World, In the Court of the Yellow King, Shadows Over Main Street, Qualia Nous, Seize The Night, Scary Out There, and Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 5.
She writes a column for Horror World and has written materials for the D6xD6 role-playing game system. In her day job, she edits online college courses for universities worldwide and occasionally helps write educational games.
Lucy lives in Columbus, Ohio and is a mentor in Seton Hill University's MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction. You can learn more about her at www.lucysnyder.com and you can follow her on Twitter at @LucyASnyder.
Her writing has been translated into French, Italian, Russian, Czech and Japanese editions and has appeared in publications such as Apex Magazine, Nightmare Magazine, Pseudopod, Strange Horizons, Steampunk World, In the Court of the Yellow King, Shadows Over Main Street, Qualia Nous, Seize The Night, Scary Out There, and Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 5.
She writes a column for Horror World and has written materials for the D6xD6 role-playing game system. In her day job, she edits online college courses for universities worldwide and occasionally helps write educational games.
Lucy lives in Columbus, Ohio and is a mentor in Seton Hill University's MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction. You can learn more about her at www.lucysnyder.com and you can follow her on Twitter at @LucyASnyder.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 28, 2021
Exposed Nerves is an incredible collection of horror poetry and served as a wonderful reminder to me of why I so thoroughly enjoyed Lucy A. Snyder's work in the past. Lucy has a way with word-weaving that's really captivating, and I found myself nodding along time and time again to the thematic points many of these poems made. Exposed Nerves is an excellent example of how well horror poetry can be used to deliver a striking social commentary, all while still holding true to its ominous, creepy horror offerings.
While many of the pieces in this collection resonated with me, there's one poem in particular that I have to bring your attention to: Making Light. This brief piece delves into how deep generational trauma goes, and the ways in which one person's terrible and cruel decision can affect so many other links down the chain.
If you enjoy horror poetry, Lucy A. Snyder is a can't-miss author, and I highly recommend this feminist, delightfully inclusive, altogether unnerving collection.
✨ Representation: discussions of queerness and racism
✨ Content warnings for:
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
———
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While many of the pieces in this collection resonated with me, there's one poem in particular that I have to bring your attention to: Making Light. This brief piece delves into how deep generational trauma goes, and the ways in which one person's terrible and cruel decision can affect so many other links down the chain.
Even though
I wasn't born
I can hear it
I can feel it
I can meet
my own
stony gaze
and see it.
If you enjoy horror poetry, Lucy A. Snyder is a can't-miss author, and I highly recommend this feminist, delightfully inclusive, altogether unnerving collection.
✨ Representation: discussions of queerness and racism
✨ Content warnings for:
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
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February 24, 2022I’m glad I got to read this before the voting ballot comes in a few days! So many of these poems I read several times before I felt ready to move on to the next. My favorite section was Part II dealing with health issues and the emotional trauma that can visit upon us (especially specific to women and our struggles)
October 1, 2021
It's been a dozen years since Snyder's first volume of poetry, Chimeric Machines, appeared, and this long-awaited follow-up is just as pithy and rewarding. The book is broken up into four thematic sections with thought provoking musings and insights into topics as challenging and wide ranging as the current issues such as gender and race relations and the deplorable state of health care, to science and sex and all manner of matters both dark and weighty and occasionally wryly whimsical. Her very well chosen words throw light on some dark places. I read the book through rapidly, and I'm now flipping through slowly and carefully to savor. Mary A. Turzillo has provided a very intelligent and insightful introduction.
October 14, 2022
Lucy Snyder's collection of poems, EXPOSED NERVES, is another example upon many of how talented she is with wordsmithing and phrasing. This collection is full of biting examples on social commentary and the daily horrors we face. Something doesn't have to be dripping with blood or chasing you with a knife to be scary. We face terror every day in seemingly mundane ways. Snyder's social commentary and raw approach to a lot of topics and themes will resonate with so many in this collection.
Some of my favorites include: "Scary," "Employee Recognition Day," "Salty," "It Only Hurts When I Dream," "October," "Chronic," "Romantic Overture 6," and "The Disney Gap."
Some of my favorites include: "Scary," "Employee Recognition Day," "Salty," "It Only Hurts When I Dream," "October," "Chronic," "Romantic Overture 6," and "The Disney Gap."
October 2, 2021
Around this time last year, I read a short story collection by Lucy A. Snyder that I enjoyed immensely, so of course I was interested in checking out her poetry collection. I mean, look at that haunting and very visceral cover!
This dark book is broken up into four parts, and each section contains a variety of biting and important poems. Every single one of these burrowed deep into my mind until every word became so much more than a lovely connection of words, and the undercurrent of meaning exploded right after reading.
There's a lot of social commentary within the pages of this inspiring book. Some of these observations are subtle and concealed in clever ways displaying dual meanings. But others get straight to the point and are rather confronting in their convictions of truth, and had me nodding because many of these situations were so familiar.
Not just because she does such a great job at highlighting the many different degrees of horror girls and women go through every single day of their lives, but also because of the racism and inequality in our society. And the disbelief or disregard given to some because of the colour of their skin, sexual orientation, gender, or just for daring to be different and speak out about it.
I also found that the title, Exposed Nerves, is the perfect representation for this book because of how well Lucy A. Snyder captured the rawness of every situation. But don't fret, there are also some cunning, playful and lighter poems that will make you smile.
Well, this turned out to be quite a memorable collection.
I have to thank you Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me a copy!
This dark book is broken up into four parts, and each section contains a variety of biting and important poems. Every single one of these burrowed deep into my mind until every word became so much more than a lovely connection of words, and the undercurrent of meaning exploded right after reading.
There's a lot of social commentary within the pages of this inspiring book. Some of these observations are subtle and concealed in clever ways displaying dual meanings. But others get straight to the point and are rather confronting in their convictions of truth, and had me nodding because many of these situations were so familiar.
Not just because she does such a great job at highlighting the many different degrees of horror girls and women go through every single day of their lives, but also because of the racism and inequality in our society. And the disbelief or disregard given to some because of the colour of their skin, sexual orientation, gender, or just for daring to be different and speak out about it.
I also found that the title, Exposed Nerves, is the perfect representation for this book because of how well Lucy A. Snyder captured the rawness of every situation. But don't fret, there are also some cunning, playful and lighter poems that will make you smile.
Well, this turned out to be quite a memorable collection.
I have to thank you Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me a copy!
January 21, 2022
Source: personal purchase.
May 21, 2022
poetry about horror, racism, misogyny, health, loss, sex, & science. i enjoyed this although i was expecting it to be more horror than it was. 4/5.
August 29, 2022
Really enjoyed this collection!
October 6, 2021
video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAUio...
This collection is called “Exposed Nerves” by Lucy A Snyder, and it is released by the awesome “Raw Dog Screaming Press.”
First, this Steven Archer cover is beautiful.
Let’s get into the collection. I enjoyed it a lot. I loved it. I got a pretty big kick out of it. I want to put some emphasis on the foreword. The foreword is a HUGE part of this collection. It explains a lot to you. The Foreword is called "Exposure," written by Mary A. Turzillo.
This gets pretty deep, and gets you thinking. It kicks off with a quote by Lucy Snyder from an interview she did in 2007. “My power animal is the oyster.” And right away my curiosity nerves are tingling. It’s immediately very metaphoric in nature. We get a sense the overall tone of the collection exposes “Issues.” I don’t mean an issue you may have with your car, or with your toaster or some appliance. More of society issues. Thus the name “Exposed Nerves.” Maybe the kind of “Issues” that strike an already inflamed nerve. Things like inequalities in the world. Racial Hypocrisy. Misogyny. Politics.
You get the feeling no topic is off limits from being discussed and from being attacked. I think that is what really drew me into this collection and what stuck out the most, and what kinda struck my “Exposed Nerves.” Being and advocate for a lot of things, we sometimes are drawn to pieces of work that expose reality only to allow it to infuriate ourselves. Maybe this is why I lean toward reading darker literature.
Lucy Snyder has a sharp tongue in these poems. She uses her words wisely, twisting and turning as she leads us through these different worlds. Some are fast and fierce, while the pace of others slow down making you absorb more of the underlying meaning.
Another reason why this collection may have resonated with is the sarcasm through-out. Many times I found myself grinning at the words. I picked up on several tongue in cheek moments.
I’m not one who normally re-reads books, because my TBR is a lifetime long, but over the last week or so I found myself picking this up and flipping through it again, re-reading a couple of the selections.
I feel there is something in this collection for everyone. There are words, or a collection of words that everyone will make a connection with. I say that only if you go into it with an open mind and find your flow. Poetry to me is lyrical, and it’s all about finding that flow, feeling those lyrics. It felt to me at times one big Patti Smith album, bringing the unique social commentary to the surface, raising awareness through art.
Enjoyable from beginning to end. And it’s short. It packs a mean punch to the jaw in such a small tight package.
This collection is called “Exposed Nerves” by Lucy A Snyder, and it is released by the awesome “Raw Dog Screaming Press.”
First, this Steven Archer cover is beautiful.
Let’s get into the collection. I enjoyed it a lot. I loved it. I got a pretty big kick out of it. I want to put some emphasis on the foreword. The foreword is a HUGE part of this collection. It explains a lot to you. The Foreword is called "Exposure," written by Mary A. Turzillo.
This gets pretty deep, and gets you thinking. It kicks off with a quote by Lucy Snyder from an interview she did in 2007. “My power animal is the oyster.” And right away my curiosity nerves are tingling. It’s immediately very metaphoric in nature. We get a sense the overall tone of the collection exposes “Issues.” I don’t mean an issue you may have with your car, or with your toaster or some appliance. More of society issues. Thus the name “Exposed Nerves.” Maybe the kind of “Issues” that strike an already inflamed nerve. Things like inequalities in the world. Racial Hypocrisy. Misogyny. Politics.
You get the feeling no topic is off limits from being discussed and from being attacked. I think that is what really drew me into this collection and what stuck out the most, and what kinda struck my “Exposed Nerves.” Being and advocate for a lot of things, we sometimes are drawn to pieces of work that expose reality only to allow it to infuriate ourselves. Maybe this is why I lean toward reading darker literature.
Lucy Snyder has a sharp tongue in these poems. She uses her words wisely, twisting and turning as she leads us through these different worlds. Some are fast and fierce, while the pace of others slow down making you absorb more of the underlying meaning.
Another reason why this collection may have resonated with is the sarcasm through-out. Many times I found myself grinning at the words. I picked up on several tongue in cheek moments.
I’m not one who normally re-reads books, because my TBR is a lifetime long, but over the last week or so I found myself picking this up and flipping through it again, re-reading a couple of the selections.
I feel there is something in this collection for everyone. There are words, or a collection of words that everyone will make a connection with. I say that only if you go into it with an open mind and find your flow. Poetry to me is lyrical, and it’s all about finding that flow, feeling those lyrics. It felt to me at times one big Patti Smith album, bringing the unique social commentary to the surface, raising awareness through art.
Enjoyable from beginning to end. And it’s short. It packs a mean punch to the jaw in such a small tight package.
April 3, 2025
Although I strongly recommend skipping the introduction--which seems to undertake a mission of ruining the surprise of half the poems to be discovered in this lovely collection--I really enjoyed this work and am anxious to read more by Snyder.
Although I expected horror poetry--and there's definitely an element of that here in language, themes, and sometimes the subjects--the focus here is more on social commentary and social justice. Some of the poems with directly feminist directions left me breathless, as did a few of the poems about relationships. The poems are strongest where Snyder's voice is unapologetically critical and biting or introspective, and a bit less engrossing where there's a sort of ironic adoption of a less-critical voice (or, certainly, the poem that stood out to me as being the weakest and least interesting in the collection took this approach). On the whole, though, there are so many lines here which are worth revisiting, as well as some poems as a whole that I imagine I'll come back to, that I absolutely recommend it.
Although I expected horror poetry--and there's definitely an element of that here in language, themes, and sometimes the subjects--the focus here is more on social commentary and social justice. Some of the poems with directly feminist directions left me breathless, as did a few of the poems about relationships. The poems are strongest where Snyder's voice is unapologetically critical and biting or introspective, and a bit less engrossing where there's a sort of ironic adoption of a less-critical voice (or, certainly, the poem that stood out to me as being the weakest and least interesting in the collection took this approach). On the whole, though, there are so many lines here which are worth revisiting, as well as some poems as a whole that I imagine I'll come back to, that I absolutely recommend it.
February 22, 2022
Overall, Exposed Nerves by Lucy A. Snyder is a relatively strong collection of feminist horror poems. While there are a few misses, most of the poems stand up to scrutiny and the overarching themes within the collection — angry defiance against a threatening patriarchy and a thirst for revenge and justice — are current and necessary. This is a solid collection of horror poetry which readers will very much enjoy.
Full review here: https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
Full review here: https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
November 14, 2022
I really loved the horror poems in the first half of this collection, but the poems in the second half became too didactic for me.
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March 24, 2025I should have reviewed this last week because a lot has happened but I did add it to my keeper shelf which says something!
December 3, 2021
“The daily research is exhausting but I push on, ever hoping the facts will finally penetrate your cheerful, willful ignorance and you will stop treating me as the unreliable narrator of my own existence.”
Horror poetry is something I’ve been diving into a bit more, I think it’s a really interesting way to absorb horror and I found a lot to like about this collection! The author explores topics of womanhood and survival in a dark and thoughtful way. If you’re looking to try out some poetry, I completely loved and recommend this one!
Horror poetry is something I’ve been diving into a bit more, I think it’s a really interesting way to absorb horror and I found a lot to like about this collection! The author explores topics of womanhood and survival in a dark and thoughtful way. If you’re looking to try out some poetry, I completely loved and recommend this one!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews