Blood Lite

Blood Lite #1

by Kevin J. Anderson (Editor), Nancy Kilpatrick (Contributor), Will Ludwigsen (Contributor)

The Horror Writers Association Presents

BLOOD LITE

...a collection of entertaining tales that puts the fun back into dark fiction, with ironic twists and tongue-in-cheek wit to temper the jagged edge.

Charlaine Harris reveals the dark side of going green, when a quartet of die-hard environmentalists hosts a fundraiser with a gory twist in "An Evening with Al Gore"...In an all-new Dresden Files story from Jim Butcher , when it comes to tracking deadly paranormal doings, there's no such thing as a "Day Off" for the Chicago P.D.'s wizard detective, Harry Dresden... Sherrilyn Kenyon turns a cubicle-dwelling MBA with no life into a demon-fighting seraph with one hell of an afterlife in "Where Angels Fear to Tread"...Celebrity necromancer Jaime Vegas is headlining a sold-out séance tour, but behind the scenes, a disgruntled ghost has a bone to pick, in Kelley Armstrong's "The Ungrateful Dead." Plus tales guaranteed to get under your skin -- in a good way -- from

Janet Berliner Don D'Ammassa Nancy Holder Nancy KilpatrickJ. A. Konrath and F. Paul Wilson Joe R. Lansdale Will LudwigsenSharyn McCrumb Mark Onspaugh Mike Resnick Steven SavileD. L. Snell Eric James Stone Jeff Strand Lucien Soulban Matt Venne Christopher Welch

So let the blood flow and laughter reign -- because when it comes to facing our deepest, darkest fears, a little humor goes a long way!

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Anthologies, Paranormal, Horror, Vampires, Short Stories

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 21, 2008

About the author

Yes, I have a lot of books, and if this is your first visit to my amazon author page, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are new to my work, let me recommend a few titles as good places to start. I love my Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, humorous horror/mysteries, which begin with DEATH WARMED OVER. My steampunk fantasy adventures, CLOCKWORK ANGELS and CLOCKWORK LIVES, written with Neil Peart, legendary drummer from Rush, are two of my very favorite novels ever. And my magnum opus, the science fiction epic The Saga of Seven Suns, begins with HIDDEN EMPIRE. After you've tried those, I hope you'll check out some of my other series.

I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.

I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.

My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like your horror tales sprinkled with a dash of funny, you'll probably enjoy this collection of short stories. Some familiar names - Joe R. Lansdale, Charlaine Harris, Sharyn McCrumb, Jim Butcher, and plenty of unfamiliar ones (to me, anyway), manage to serve up the chills in a humorous VEIN to tickle your funny BONE. (GROAN! I know, sorry!)

In addition to the usual suspects of the genre - vampires a-plenty, necromancers and ghouls, you'll also meet failed horror writers, undead celebrities and an office worker who summons Satan just to make Rick from Corporate Accounting look foolish. (Well, who HASN'T been tempted to do that now and then...)

My favorite story was Hell in a Handbasket by Lucien Soulban. Here, a gaggle (pride? clutch? murder?) of demons discusses what should be done with a bouncing baby girl who's been left in a basket at the gates of Hell:

"Well, I think I should eat her," Mammon said. "As the demon of Avarice, it would be bad for my image if I didn't."

"Nobody's eating her," Vassago said.

A cacophony of voices broke out in dissent and a few demons began pushing each other away. Vassago decided to end the argument.

"Fine...we'll settle this according to the Old Ways, the Dead Ways," Vassago said. A hush fell over the chambers.

"Fight to the death," someone whispered.

"No! Choose a champion to battle for her meat," someone else countered.

Vassago shook his head and picked up the child. "Older than that," he replied. He licked her exposed tummy with his snaking tongue. She giggled. "There...I licked her, she's mine now."

Works for me!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating for Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden novella. It was fun and a quick read. I wish I've read it earlier since a major event happened to one of the characters.

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had been quite prepared to give this book two stars until Jim Butcher provided a better than average entry to conclude Blood Lite. Still, having read five anthologies in quick succession, I'm not sure I'm any better off than I was before.

The book is largely hit or miss, with a couple of notable exceptions to either extreme. If I don't comment on a story, you can conclude that it didn't make much of an impression.

Mr. Bear, by Joe R. Lansdale, is like reading Chuck Palanhiuk. You are thrown off by its premise and the ultimate resolution may not be rewarding, but you'll remember the experience for a long, long time.

Hell in a Handbasket, by Lucien Soulban is the first of four stories in a row that actually manage to do a reasonable job of capturing horror and humor, the best of which being Don D'Ammassa's No Problem, about a re-animator with small complication.

Two horrible stories follow, including the latest shovelfest by, the apparently highly overrated, Charlaine Harris. I've read four of her short stories and liked none of them. This one might fit well in a book when you don't know you're getting horror, or at least could have provided something beyond her usual vampire-werewolf-White Wolvian lovefest. But she, again, fails to rise to the occasion.

Shortly after that is one of the better stories, A Good Psycho Is Hard to Find, by Will Ludwigsen. To put it simply, the consequences of Friday the 13th are never quite what you'd imagine.

Quite possibly the most amusing, if not quite the most horrifying, is Eric James Stone's PR Problems about ghouls and their lack of a good press agent.

Seven more stories, including one by Sherrilyn Kenyon follow which either are too deeply vested in their exterior backstory to be accessible, or just aren't that remarkable because they're unfunny (Love Seat Solitaire), or fizzle out (Bitches of the Night). The latter is particularly disappointing because of its promising premise.

The final story, Day Off, by Jim Butcher, is probably also too laden with Dresden Files metaplot, but I at least was entertained by it. However, I think he misses the horror portion of the concept. It's entertaining, funny, and he avoids the Harry "battle-cry=little girl scream" reference, but it never really hits the horror portion of the mission statement.

Anyway, worth librarying and glancing through, but not worth buying.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first of three anthologies edited by Anderson in conjunction with the H.W.A. that presented horror stories with a humorous slant. It's a kind of up-and-down, uneven group, but it's overall a light and entertaining book with some genuinely funny bits. There's a fine Dresden story by Jim Butcher, amusing pieces by Mike Resnick, Jeff Strand, Sharyn McCrumb, Nancy Holder, and others. My favorites were Kelley Armstrong's The Ungrateful Dead and An Evening with Al Gore by Charlaine Harris.

[Mireille · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this review I’ve only listed the stories that are either a “don’t miss” or a “skip it entirely.” All others in the anthology are okay, but not noteworthy on either end of the spectrum. Total of 21 stories in book.

The Ungrateful Dead – Kelly Armstrong – Zombie/Ghost story… fun… 3 stars

Mr. Bear – Joe R. Lansdale – non-horror, un-humorous story… so bad I didn’t even finish it… why in hell did they put this story in here if it didn’t fit the anthology at all?... oooh, that’s the horror of it! - (neg) 5 stars

Hell in a Handbasket – Lucien Soulban – Demon story… very funny… 5 stars

Elvis Presley & the Bloodsucker Blues – Matt Venne – vamp story… funny… 4 stars

An Evening with Al Gore – Charlaine Harris – Vamp/Werewolf story… very funny… 5 stars

PR Problems – Eric James Stone – Ghoul story… fun… 4 stars

Day Off – Jim Butcher – Dresden Files story… funny… 5 stars

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty awesome! I generally don't read horror, but there was a Dresden story in this anthology, so I bought it, and figured since it was October, might as well read the rest of them in keeping with the season. There were a lot of good stories in this one! Some were just gruesome, some were verging on shocking, and some were just plain silly, but they were all pretty funny, and the Dresden story is great. All but the Dresden story really do belong in the horror section, though, so be warned....

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were some definite stand out stars in this collection: Kelley Armstrong, Jim Butcher, Charlainne Harris. Yet overall the stories contained in Blood Lite were well written, original, and eye-rollingly funny. I mean, where else are you going to meet pushy frat boy ghosts, vampire Elvis, environmental soldier werewolves, practical joker Angels, and dancing Ostriches?

[Jacalyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are 21 short stories in this anthology and almost every single one was so beyond fantastic that I can't even begin to describe them! I was laughing out loud with a great number of these dark comedies. I like the twisted take of most of these stories!

[Julianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
The Ungrateful Dead by Kelly Armstrong - “The Ungrateful Dead” is a short story in Kelly Armstrong’s Otherworld series. It features celebrity necromancer, Jaime Vegas, who I gather is a main character in the series. She’s headlining a successful séance tour, and during one of her shows a ghost with a bone to pick appears to her. A privileged young man in his mortal life, his entitlement shows through as he continuously pesters her to go open the coffin of his cousin who died in the same accident. With the help of her friend Savannah (another main character in the series), Jaime eventually does as the ghost bids with unexpected results.

This is the first time I’ve read anything by Kelly Armstrong. I was aware of her Otherworld series and I’m not usually one to read books out of order. But since the series hadn’t yet jumped out at me as something I would really enjoy, I decided to try this short to get a taste for the author’s writing style. I did generally enjoy it. It has a humorous quality that I found rather amusing. The writing was good and the story stood fairly well on its own. However, in some ways, not having prior knowledge of the characters and story lines was a bit of a detractor for me. As I mentioned Jaime and Savannah were apparently introduced in earlier stories of the series, and there’s a lot of name-dropping going on of other characters who appear to be main players as well. I didn’t entirely feel lost, but at the same time, I was kind of in the dark as to who the characters were and their relationships to one another. While “The Ungrateful Dead” was pretty good for a short story and I did derive some enjoyment from it, I can’t necessarily say that it inspired me to want to read more of the series. Star Rating: ***1/2

Mr. Bear by Joe R. Lansdale - “Mr. Bear” is a very strange little story about a guy named Jim who meets a talking bear on an airplane. When their connecting flight is delayed by bad weather, they get wasted at a bar and sleep with prostitutes who Bear kills, then Bear essentially kidnaps Jim, taking him to his home in the woods, ostensibly because he wants a friend. But Jim quickly discovers that Bear is a psychotic serial killer.

Reading this bizarre story weirded me out and made me feel like I needed a shower afterwards. While the bear doesn’t have an official name, it’s obvious from his celebrity status and backstory that he’s supposed to be Smoky the Bear, and this story has now kind of ruined Smoky for me. This is one of those rare stories that I wish I could unread, because I found it to be offensive, not just for despoiling a beloved icon, but in other ways as well. Bear clearly has sex with a prostitute and brags about having had numerous other women, which in my opinion amounts to nothing less than bestiality. Sure Bear is a sentient being who can talk, but he’s not a shapeshifter who has a human form. Also I felt that Bear and Jim were disrespectful of women in general, only really talking about them in either sexual or derogatory terms. Jim, who is a married man, ogles a woman on the plane, hoping that she’ll sit by him and that she’s single, then later sleeps with a prostitute as well. I really don’t care that he was drunk and doesn’t remember it. As far as I’m concerned, that’s simply not OK and there’s no excuse. As you can probably tell, I didn’t really find much redeeming value in this story. I suppose Bear met a suitable end, but I certainly wasn’t very enamored of Jim either, so I can’t say that I cared much regardless. I’m giving it 1.5 stars because it was an easy enough read that I zipped right through, and aside from an odd cadence in the dialogue, the writing itself was reasonably sound. But after being so thoroughly squicked out, I definitely would not read anything else by this author in the future.

Note: While there’s no explicitly detailed sex in this story, please keep in mind that sex between a bear and a human is overtly implied. Star Rating: *1/2

Hell In a Handbasket by Lucien Soulban - “Hell In a Handbasket” is a comedic fantasy short story in which a baby is found at the gates of hell. None of the denizens of the Underworld know exactly what she is or how she got there. All they care about is vying for the right to have a taste of this new creature. Only Vassago, Demon of Prophesy and the Kool Kat of Hell, knows who the babe is, so he takes her to his living quarters, only to have several other demons try to steal her away with increasingly amusing results.

I’ve never read anything by Lucien Soulban before, so I didn’t know what to expect. Also, after reading the previous short story in this anthology which was a total bust for me, my expectations were set very low. However, I was quite pleasantly surprised by this little story, which kept a smile on my face throughout. Waiting to discover who the baby is, while reading about the havoc she keeps wreaking on the Underworld was entertaining fun, as was Vassago turning the tables on the entity who delivered the child in the first place. I don’t want to say too much more or I’ll give it all away, but suffice it to say that I appreciated the author’s imaginative creativity and humor. I very much enjoyed this story and found it to be a delightful little tale that was a chuckle-inducing diversion. Star Rating: ****

The Eldritch Pastiche from Beyond the Shadow of Horror by Christopher Welch - “The Eldritch Pastiche from Beyond the Shadow of Horror” is a stand-alone short story about a guy named Chris, who has devoured all the works of H. P. Lovecraft and other similar authors. Yet he still couldn’t get enough of this type of horror story, so he began writing them himself, only to have all of his efforts rejected by publishers. He decides to put an end to his obsession by going to a 12-step group for addicts of this literary style, but on his way home from the meeting, he’s followed by a mythical entity who makes him an offer he cannot refuse.

I can’t really say that I got a lot out of this story. I understood the basic gist of it, but since I’ve never read Lovecraft, all the specific references were completely lost on me. In fact, I felt like I was missing a lot throughout reading it. Since the main character shares a first name with the author, I can’t help wondering if the story was meant in any way to poke fun at himself, but since I don’t really know the author, I can’t say. I was mildly amused by a guy who became so obsessed with this type of literature that he simply couldn’t control himself anymore, and perhaps even more so by how the story ended up with his writing turning out to be pretty important after all. However, any small amount of enjoyment I felt wasn’t enough to offset the sense of feeling lost and struggling to understand all the references. That said, though, a true fan of Lovecraftian writing would probably thoroughly enjoy it. Star Rating: **1/2

Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues by Matt Venne - “Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues” is a stand-alone, speculative, short story that presents an alternate history of Elvis’s final years. In this scenario, he is turned into a vampire, but only his closest friends and associates know of this turn of events. He adjusts to his new life and enjoys it for a while, before deciding to become a vampire hunter instead, which leads to his untimely demise.

I can’t claim to be an Elvis fan myself, but I have older family members who are. I also was alive for those final years of his life, so I remember some of the speculation, conspiracy theories, and celebrity gossip surrounding him. All of that rang true in this story, so I’d say that the author is either a big fan himself or did his research well. He came up with some creative reasons for many of changes in The King and the things that people found suspicious. In the end, though, this was just an OK read for me. It’s written in Elvis’s first-person POV, with him setting the record straight during the final moments of his life. First-person should be a deeper perspective, but I felt like the narrative merely skimmed along the surface, telling the story in a matter-of-fact way. I was also a little off-put by some crude language regarding women and a few seemingly homophobic remarks. Overall, this was a mildly diverting tale that showed some creativity, but not one that I connected with in a way that would make it memorable. Star Rating: ***

I ran out of characters in the review field.:-) Click on the remaining story titles to see my reviews for each one:

No Problem by Don D'Ammassa - Star Rating: ***

Old School by Mark Onspaugh - Star Rating: ***

The Sound of Blunder by J. A. Konrath & F. Paul Wilson - Star Rating: **

An Evening with Al Gore by Charlaine Harris - Star Rating: ***1/2

Dear Prudence by Steven Savile - Star Rating: *

A Good Psycho Is Hard to Find by Will Ludwigsen - Star Rating: ***

High Kicks and Misdemeanors by Janet Berliner - Star Rating: *

PR Problems by Eric James Stone - Star Rating: ****

Where Angels Fear to Tread by Sherrilyn Kenyon - Where Angels Fear to Tread is a short story of only eighteen pages set in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter world. It explains the origins of Zeke Jacobson and how he became a seraph. Although the term Hellchaser is not used within the story, Ms. Kenyon's website has this novella listed as the first in the Hellchaser story arc. With that being the case, I hope that Zeke will turn up in future books of the series, because I didn't feel like I got to know him very well in such a short time frame. He has an MBA but is stuck in a dead-end customer service job, in which he sits in a boring cubicle getting yelled at over the phone day in and day out, until he inherits his granduncle's estate and learns some interesting things about the old man. After picking up a strange coin at his granduncle's house, Zeke finds himself magically transformed into a seraph. That's about the extent of this little novella.

Unlike Sherrilyn Kenyon's other books, this one is strictly a fantasy story with no romance in it at all. Overall, it was well-written and reasonably engaging, but it felt like only the beginning of a much larger story rather than one that is self-contained, just a little reading snack instead of a meal. That being the case, it wasn't entirely satisfying, but I did like it anyway for what it was. Hopefully, I'll get to learn more about these new guardians in the Dark-Hunter books that are yet to come. Where Angels Fear to Tread was originally published in the multi-author anthology Blood Lite but was recently republished along with several other Dark-Hunter shorts in the single author anthology Dark Bites . Star Rating: ***1/2

A Very Special Girl by Mike Resnick - Star Rating: ***1/2

Love Seat Solitaire by D. L. Snell - Star Rating: ***

I Know Who You Ate Last Summer by Nancy Holder - Star Rating: **

Bitches of the Night by Nancy Kilpatrick - Star Rating: ***1/2

The Bell...FROM HELL!!! by Jeff Strand - Star Rating: ***

Dead Hand by Sharyn McCrumb - Star Rating: ***

Day Off by Jim Butcher - “Day Off” is a fairly short story of only about twenty pages that falls between Small Favor and Turn Coat in the Dresden Files series chronology. In it, Harry has an extremely rare day off, where he has no wizarding business to take care of. He’s looking forward to spending it going on a date with fellow warden, Anastasia Luccio. But things go awry when a group of young half-baked, wanna-be wizards show up at Harry’s apartment, making threats, then a pair of lusty, naked werewolves appear at his door, claiming to have fleas, but are clearly under the influence of some magical force. Meanwhile his apprentice, Molly, is busy blowing up his basement laboratory.

This was a really enjoyable story that’s very light-hearted with no big baddies to conquer or genuinely life-threatening situations for Harry to deal with. But I do feel rather sorry for the guy. He simply can’t seem to catch a break from all the magical mayhem, even on his day off. I enjoyed seeing a few of the werewolves from the Alphas pack again. In fact, it all starts out with the fun of Harry having a game night with them. What’s really hilarious, though, is when Andi and Kirby, a young werewolf couple, show up at his apartment the next morning, and in between bouts of lustiness, end up on a merry chase with Mouse and Mister, around Harry’s apartment, while Molly creates chaos in the basement lab. It was all thoroughly humorous fun. “Day Off” was originally published in the anthology, Blood Lite, and was later reprinted in this single-author anthology. Star Rating: *****

[Cindi Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great anthology. I enjoyed all the stories. The funniest was Mr. Bear by Joe R. Lansdale. It was just so wrong. LOL Hell in a Handbasket by Lucien Soulban was hilarious too. Another funny one was High Kicks and Misdemeanors by Lucien Soulban. And yet another funny was Bitches of the Night by Nancy Kilpatrick. My favorite was Day Off by Jim Butcher but I am a bit biased to Harry Dresden.

[Nancy O'Toole · Rating 1 out of 5]

December was a pretty good month for me, book wise. It seemed like everything I picked up was enjoyable on one level or another. Then I decided I wanted to dive into some short fiction, and picked up Blood Lite, a horror comedy anthology, from my local book store. I was drawn to this particular book due to the fact that it had short fiction by some of my favorite paranormal writers: Charlaine Harris, Kelley Armstrong, and Jim Butcher. A first I found myself very happy with the content inside, but after a handful of stories, the collection quickly descended to some really bad material. Fortunately, things pick up at the end again, saving this anthology from being a complete waste of time. Still, the experience was somewhat like picking up a sandwich made with high quality bread, only to find that the meat inside was mostly rotten. Not really recommended.

The Ungrateful Dead by Kelley Armstrong- Being a necromancer means that every ghost wants to use you for a favor, and Jamie Vegas has learned that ignoring the dead is a good way to keep them away. That is until she finds one very rude and persistent ghost that refuses to leave her alone. "The Ungrateful Dead" is a lighthearted little story that shows us that not all ghosts are scary or tragic, sometimes they can just be annoying. Jamie was a great narrator for the horror comedy genre and I enjoyed watching her interactions with Savannah.

Mr. Bear by Jon R Lansdale- Jim is a mild mannered man with an uneventful life until a stranger sits next to him on an airplane. Before he knows it, the stranger has taken him on a wild night filled with drugs, booze, prostitution, and murder. Did I mention this stranger happened to be Smoky the Bear? "Mr. Bear" is one of those unique comedy stories that under different circumstances, would be a harrowing drama. Written in a straight/serious manner, the only thing that keeps Mr. Bear on the comedy side is the fact that it's ridiculous to picture Smoky the Bear in the role of this stranger. As a result, the story is pretty funny.

Hell in a Handbasket by Lucien Soulban- What's the best way to send the hell dimension into chaos? Leave a baby by the gates of hell, sit back, and watch everyone react. One of the things I liked the best about "Hell in a Handbasket" was the ridiculous ways that the denizens of hell were portrayed. This one got a few chuckles out of me.

The Eldritch Pastiche from Beyond the Shadow of Horror by Christopher Welch- Chris has come to the conclusion that he has become addicted to writing really bad horror stories, and decides to deal with this by going to a support group. Only the forces of darkness has other plans for them. I really enjoyed the support group scene in this story, and the twist in the end did make me laugh. I have to wonder if I would have appreciated it even more if I was more of a horror aficionado.

Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucking Blues by Matt Venne- Everyone thinks they know how Elvis died, but the King himself has a different story to tell. Few people know that he spent the latter years of his life as a vampire dedicated to taking down the most evil of his own kind. One of the best things about "Bloodsucking Blues" is how the author gives supernatural explanations for real events from Elvis's life. Unfortunately, having already read another “Elvis is a vampire” story with the Sookie Stackhouse series, the novelty of seeing Elvis as a bloodsucker has kind of worn off (never thought I'd say that one).

No Problem by Don D'Ammassa- After finding out that he's the descendant of Dr Frankenstein, Herbert Franken decides to replicate his ancestors experiments on animals. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite stop there. "No Problem" is a modern retelling of Frankenstein told in the style of a screwball comedy. Although the plot is a little unoriginal, there's no denying the fact that it's pretty funny and enjoyable to read.

Old School by Mark Onspaugh- In this story, a bunch of kids decide to raise the dead on a whim. That never turns out well. "Old School" starts out as an interesting little story that never really goes anywhere. Under four pages long, I felt as if it stopped just as it was getting interesting, almost as if I didn't have the whole story in front of me.

The Sounds of Blunder by JA Konrath and F Paul Wilson- Mick the Mick and his sidekick Willie need money fast, or they're going to start loosing body parts. They decide to break into a museum and steal something valuable, only there's something supernatural behind the all too ordinary artifacts inside. "The Sound of Blunder" is a story that I didn't connect with at all. I found the characters to be annoying, the story to lack focus, and the comedy (which consisted of immature humor and running gags that went on for too long) just feel flat for me. I have a feeling that I was far from the audience in mind with these two writers wrote this story.

An Evening with Al Gore by Charlaine Harris- After meeting Al Gore Toddy Makepeace knows one thing, she wants to save the environment. In order to achieve that goal, she sets up an elaborate charity dinner party for some of Boston's less than environmentally friendly members. And if they're not willing to donate to their cause, things may get a little... deadly. "An Evening with Al Gore" is a fun little read where everything seems perfectly normal right up until the end. It was interesting to see Harris tackle upper-class New England after reading some of her Sookie Stackhouse novels, which all focus on the working class south.

Dear Prudence by Steven Savile- Miller has written his wife a letter, explaining how he's going out to grab some cigarettes, and visit the pub to watch some football. Only that's not what he really wanted to say. One thing I need to give "Dear Prudence" credit for is the fact that it's written in an original format. While, other stories in this anthology are written in a straight narrative, "Dear Prudence" is written in a series of letters from Miller to his supposedly horrible wife, each one more gory than the last. Despite it's originality, I hate to say that it just didn't work for me, and by the end, I found it rather repetitive.

A Good Psycho is Hard to Find by Will Ludwigsen. Being chased by a chainsaw wielding psychopath may seem like a traumatic experience, but for our narrator and his girlfriend, it was exhilarating and life has been pretty dull since then. "A Good Pyscho is Hard to Find" is their story about trying to recapture that trauma. This is another story that has a good idea behind it, but in the end, just didn't grab my attention or make me laugh at all. Perhaps it's because I'm not the biggest fan of slasher films.

High Kicks and Misdemeanors by Janet Berliner- This story is about a man from Las Vegas that happens to wander into Area 51 and the events that follow. I had a few problems with this story. One, I didn't find it funny, and I didn't really see how it was horror. I also found the plot rather scattered and unfocused. The characters never really gained my sympathy, and weren't really memorable.

PR Problem by Eric James Stone- Mr Ahsani can't help but feel a little short changed. Vampire and werewolves are glamorized in fiction by ghouls have a PR problems. They're never seen as sexy or exciting. "PR Problem" is a fun little story that actually had me agreeing with the main character. If you think about it, we portray vampires as dark and dangerous yet sexy, and werewolves are all about testosterone, aggressions, and excitement. Ghouls on the other hand? Gross. This story was very amusing, and interesting.

Where Angels Fear to Tread by Sherrilyn Kenyon- Zeke can't help but wish his life was more interesting. When an unknown relative dies and mentions him in his will, Zeke's about to get that excitement, only it's turns out to be more than he was looking for. As someone that worked in a call center like Zeke, I found the beginning section about Zeke working on the phones to be very accurate. Unfortunately, once we got into the actual story, I found my enjoyment evaporating. The dialogue didn't feel natural to me, the plot a little cliche, and the whole story seemed like the first chapter in a book, not a complete short story. This is a bit of a pet peeve of mine, so it brought down my enjoyment a lot.

A Very Special Girl by Mike Resnick- Dugan the Zombie has fallen in love with a very special girl, and has expressed that love by giving her three thousand dollars, three thousand dollars that happened to belong to Harry the Book. "A Very Special Girl" takes place in an alternative universe filled with bizarre and spooky creatures. The style of writing was very stream of consciousness, and at times a little hard to follow. This was another story that I just didn't connect with at all. I didn't laugh, and I wasn't much interested in the story. I also found that the voice behind the dialogue sounded pretty much the same no matter who was talking, which bothered me.

Love Seat Solitaire by DL Snell- Sam's house is haunted, but he's learned how to keep the ghost from bothering him. That's until “Casper,” as he's called, goes nuts, and begins to attack him and his friends. "Love Seat Solitaire" has a great title, but the story itself just wasn't for me. The comedy depended highly on gross out humor, which has never been my thing, and slapstick. The dialogue felt as times as if the writer was trying too hard to be funny, and as result it wasn't at all. I never really connected with any of the characters, and the twist at the end was uneventful.

I Know Who You Ate Last Summer by Nancy Holder- Angelo and Dwight are spoiled rock stars that also happen to be cannibals. When Dwight revives a text message that says “I KNO WHO U 8 LAST SUMMER” he's worried that their secret has finally been revealed. Nancy Holder seems to have a fun time spoofing the shallowness of Hollywood, but the story itself feels shallow too. I didn't find myself laughing at anything, or caring for the characters. I also felt that the twist involving the text message was more of a cop-out.

Bitches of the Night by Nancy Kilpatrick- Istvan turned three women into his vampire brides with the hope of companionship over the rest of his immortal life. The three woman have made his life into a living hell, quickly turning into insolent, materialistic, nagging creatures that won't let him watch the X-Files in peace. "Bitches of the Night" appears to be a humorous take on Dracula and his three brides, only I can't help but feel as if Kilpatrick missed the mark. The story is uninteresting, and rather sexist, and Istvan is awfully idiotic for an ancient immortal.

The Bell.... FROM HELL! By Jeff Strand- Howie owns a bell forged by Satan himself. His coworkers can't help but be a little skeptical about this all, so Howie decides to prove them wrong by summoning the devil himself right into their office. "The Bell.... FROM HELL!" is without a doubt the funniest story in this collection. Many of the lines made me laugh out loud, and the whole situations was over the top hilarious. I will be checking out more stories by this author.

Dead Hand by Sharyn McCrumb- People have tried to cheat in NASCAR before, but I'm pretty sure this is the fist time that anyone's ever done so by raising the dead. Despite knowing little about NASCAR (I honestly can't even tell you if they go around the track clockwise or counterclockwise), I found this story to be a fun little read. The idea behind it is funny, and it's executed quite well.

Day Off by Jim Butcher- It's Harry Dresden's day off and he can't wait to spend it on a date with his new girlfriend. Unfortunately, all of his friends seem to need his help at once. The Dresden Files have always had a strong comedy element, so writing a horror comedy story isn't a stretch at all. Although the story is a little unoriginal, it's still a lot of fun to watch Harry's supposedly peaceful day go from bad, to hellishly worse.


Blood Lite is a anthology that looks at the lighter side of horror, giving us stories that cover a wide variety of topics. Unfortunately, we're also presented with a wide variety of quality, meaning you'll have to pick through the disappointments to find the good stories.

[Nanu · Rating 3 out of 5]

only read Day Off by Jim Butcher

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

Keeping track of the stories and will update as read

Charlaine Harris "An Evening with Al Gore"
Jim Butcher "Day Off"
Sherrilyn Kenyon Where Angels Fear to Tread"
Kelley Armstrong's "The Ungrateful Dead." - Have read this already in another anthology by Kelley Armstrong. Jaime is one of my favorite characters of her Women of the Otherworld, and this is another good story for the female necromancer.
Mr. Bear by Joe R. Lansdale - good grief, what did I just read!?! Mr. Bear by Joe R. Lansdale is beyond....beyond. Weird, and the ending is redemption worthy. Not sure on my rating ... 3/5 sounds safe.
Hell in a Handbasket by Lucien Soulban
The Eldritch Pastiche from Beyond the Shadow of Horror by Christopher Welch
Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues by Matt Venne
No Problem by Don D'Ammassa
Old School by Mark Onspaugh
The Sound of Blunder by J.A. Konrath and F. Paul Wilson
Dear Prudence by Steven Savile
A Good Psycho is Hard to Find by Will Ludwigsen
High Kicks and Misdemeanors by Janet Berliner
PR Problems by Eric James Stone
A Very Special Girl by Mike Resnick
Love Seat Solitaire by D.L. Snell
I Know Who You Ate Last Summer by Nancy Holder
Bitches of the Night by Nancy Kilpatrick
The Bell...FROM HELL!!! by Jeff Strand
Dead Hand by Sharyn McCrumb

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok, so the discription of the book says this is a collection of horror stories with a humorous bite. Well if you are expecting humor, look elsewhere. After the first seven stories I couldn't stomach reading any more of this collection.
The worst of the standouts includes Mr. Bear: A horrible not-so-short story about a bear who I'm assuming is supposed to be Smokey The Bear. There is no humor whatsoever in this story. Mr. Bear kidnaps a human male to become his buddy which is to involve rape in the form of an involuntary weeney-pull. It was just disturbing. I kept waiting for it to get better and it never did.
Another horrible and also not-so-short story was about Elvis after being turned into a vampire. How one can make the story of The King's life seem mind-numbingly boring I will never understand. But congrats to the author are in order because that is just what he managed to do.
There were a couple of decent stories in the collection, but sifting through the garbage to get to them was just too much trouble.

[Julie (jjmachshev) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many amusing stories in "Blood Lite" an anthology with 21 stories from some of the biggest names in the current horror/paranormal genres. Includes stories by Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Mike Resnick, Sharyn McCrumb, and Kelley Armstrong. From witches to wizards, ghouls to ghosts, and weres to vampires, these stories vary wildly depending on the author's genre, but all have a wacky, humorous zing to them. A pleasant afternoon's reading and sure to hit your funny 'bone'.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I forgot until I read this book how short a short story actually is. I am so used to reading these books that have three authors and three stories (each story being in the 100 page range) that I forgot how FUN three page to 20 page stories can be. It's also a great way to wet your palet on an author you were not real sure about.

This collection was quite fun and hardly any clunkers in the bunch. Perfect book for a short attention span or when you only have a little time here and there to read.

[Barbi Faye (The Book Fae) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been in love with this series so much I have gotten several more books in the same genre of short horror stories. This series especially has been infused with witty wonderful dark humor as well, addictive little vice I have discovered; I need more...! These short stories have been such little nummers!!! Like little cupcakes! Mmmm! Read your face off!!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty entertaining collection of short stories...loved the Jim Butcher one and the Elvis one was quite good as well. Definitely worth a read.

[Irina Villacis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaime y Savanah son fabulosas

[Paola Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where Angels Fear To Tread ☑

[Summer (speaking_bookish) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t end up liking this as much as I had hoped but I think it’s a pretty consistent experience with short stories. I’m glad I read it, though, and I’m happy to add it to my collection.

➽ The Ungrateful Dead by Kelley Armstrong | ★ ★ ★ ★
Entertaining; I really like Kelley Armstrong’s writing.

➽ Mr. Bear by Joe R. Lansdale | ★
A disgusting take on Smoky the Bear that I found revolting. This wasn’t funny or scary. It was simply garbage.

➽ Hell in a Handbasket by Lucien Soulban | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Absolutely loved this one. Basically a story about Heaven and Hell pulling pranks on one another. I laughed out loud several times.

➽ The Eldritch Pastiche from Beyond the Shadow of Horror by Christopher Welch | ★ ★ ★
A silly but clever tale about a horror writers obsession with Lovecraft.

➽ Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues by Matt Venne | ★ ★ ★
This story reimagines the happenings in Elvis’ life and his death to be due to Elvis having been turned into a vampire and it changing the course of his life. I’m not much of an Elvis fan so a lot of this was lost on me. It was okay.

➽ No Problem by Don D’Ammassa | ★ ★ ★ ★
A story loosely inspired by Frankenstein where his offspring finds his journals, and using his “recipe”, creates a serum to bring life back from the dead. Things go a little off the rails from there- I was entertained.

➽ Old School by Mark Onspaugh | ★ ★ ★ ★
This was pretty impressive for being only 3 pages long- what happens when a necromancer fails to read the spell correctly from the spell book.

➽ The Sound of Blunder by J.A Konrath & F. Paul Wilson | ★
I think I actually lost brain cells while reading this story. One idiots grandmother cooks a brick of coke into a cake instead of flour and now the idiot and his friend are trying to find a way to get money before they’re fed their own penises. This search for money includes traveling back to the dinosaur age and also turning into croquettes. I wish I were kidding.

➽ An Evening with Al Gore by Charlaine Harris | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I’m pleased to say this was a great short story as Charlaine is one of my favorite authors- she didn’t disappoint. The story of a couple who is devoted to saving the planet, especially after meeting Al Gore in person. They go to great lengths to convert some of America’s worst offenders…

➽ Dear Prudence by Steven Savile | ★ ★ ★ ★
This one got an extra star for cleverness- told in a series of letters to his wife prudence- the husband keeps scratching his efforts and rewriting them- each a bit darker than the last.

➽ A Good Psycho Is Hard to Find by Will Ludwigsen | ★ ★ ★ ★
Rounded up from 3.5 stars, this was a relatively quick story about a couple who were interrupted by a chainsaw-wielding psycho while making out- and are chasing the adrenaline and lust from that moment by trying to recreate it.

➽ High Kicks and Misdemeanors by Janet Berliner |★
I’m not even sure what I just read- soldier ostriches doing a Rockettes show? Spirit Guides? Lost me on this one.

➽ PR Problems by Eric James Stone | ★ ★ ★ ★
In which a ghoul laments the bad PR they get even though vampires and werewolves are much worse- yet they are romanticized. Fast, funny, and clever.

➽ Where Angels Fear to Tread by Sherrilyn Kenyon | ★ ★ ★
a classic ‘be careful what you wish for’ story about a man stuck in a dead end job wishing for a more exciting life.

➽ A Very Special Girl (Harry the Book Story) by Mike Resnick | ★ ★
A bookie with a zombie for a money collector who falls in love with “a very special girl”. Pretty nonsensical- maybe it would make more sense if you’re familiar with the original book these characters are drawn from.

➽ Love Seat Solitaire by D.L. Snell | ★ ★
Three idiots and a poltergeist in an apartment. This would have been one star but even though I predicted the twist at the end I didn’t see it until it practically happened. I think I was smarter before I read some of these stories than I am now.

➽ I Know Who You Ate Last Summer by Nancy Holder | ★ ★
It’s possible this cannibal story was too intellectual for me because I have no clue what the hell happened.

➽ Bitches of the Night by Nancy Kilpatrick | ★ ★ ★
A fun twist to the vampire master trope in which the women rule the roost… or coven, if you will.

➽ The Bell…FROM HELL!!! By Jeff Strand | ★ ★ ★
An entertaining, quick story about a man pushed to the limit when his coworkers don’t believe his bell from satan will actually summon the devil himself.

➽ Dead Hand by Sharyn McCrumb | ★ ★ ★ ★
An attempt to bring an old NASCAR driver back from the dead goes bad once he realizes that the sport is more about celebrity and buzz than it is about racing. Cleverly told.

➽ Day Off (Dresden Files Story) by Jim Butcher | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Hands down the best story in this book and that’s coming from a person who has never read the Dresden series. I love the snark of the MC and the general humor of the story. It’s inspired me to pick up the first book in the Dresden series sooner rather than later.

[Sana Zameer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is for Jim Butcher - Day Off.
Harry Dresden has a rare day off and a date with his fellow warden. But nothing is simple in Harry's life. Chaos and hilarity ensue as he confronts wizard wannabes, try to cure two werewolves of Alphas while his apprentice Molly is accidentally blowing his lab. Another normal day in the world of Harry Dresden.

[Alison (Lady Coffin) S · Rating 3 out of 5]

can I give it 3.5 Stars??? Not all the stories are 4 star worthy, but some are for sure.

So many stories from......
Kelley Armstrong with her good story about Jamie Vegas the necromancer.
Joe R. Lansdale story Mr Bear that I found to be a very dark, but interesting look at smokey the bear.
Lucien Soulban with Hell in a Handbasket was totally funny, and unexpected look at the underworld. Had me laughing out loud more than once, even with just a tiny bit adolescent boy humor in the end, it was a very humorous story I wasn't expecting in this collection.
Matt Venne had his good alternative history about Elvis Presley, but unfortunately the king is still dead.
Don D'Ammassa with his crazy twist on a modern Dr Frankenstein tale.
Mark Onspaugh has Old School that was short and not so sweet, a hard lesson to learn.
J. A. Konrath and F. Paul Wilson The Sound of Blunder was just OK in my opinion, but stupid characters are hard to put up with.
Charlaine Harris with her Al Gore inspired, but lets just say they sure had a different outlook or way to recycling than I think he had planed.
Steven Savile and his interesting progress of notes.
Eric James Stone what supernatural PR problems do you think you might have, this could be one of them.
Sherrilyn Kenyon Be careful what you wish for.....
Mike Resnick Zombies and Wizards and other unknown creatures in a classic 20's bookie story with a twist.
D. L. Snell had an attention seeking ghost with a twist.
Nancy Holder and the Cannibals in the Hollywood hills.
Sharyn McCrumb Never really put the supernatural together with NASCAR, but now I can see how they could go hand in hand.
and finally
Jim Butcher with a "Day Off" for Harry..... but can a modern day wizard ever really plan a day off?

So many Wonderful and creative stories, well worth reading the few so so ones for the others that are outstanding.

[Shannon McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

22 authors come together to write some humorous paranormal short stories. For me there weren't many laugh out loud moments, but some disturbing moments, maybe. Some of my favorites were:

THE BEST

KELLEY ARMSTRONG - THE UNGRATEFUL DEAD
This one inspired me to add a character to a book I am writing. I just enjoyed the liteness of it and the mixture of the paranormal.

JOE R. LANSDALE - MR. BEAR
Mr. Bear was one disturbing bear. I don't know if this is really one of the best, but I will never forget it. The beginning was hard to get into, but I kept reading ... and, you know, I don't know if I should have.

JEFF STRAND - THE BELL FROM HELL
This was one of the funniest things I have read in a while. It's about a guy who works in an office building and keeps a bell on his desk. He says if it is rung 666 times, the devil will appear.

JIM BUTCHER - DAY OFF
I had never read anything by Jim Butcher before, but I had seen some of the Dresden Files on TV. So most of the time I was picturing the actor who played Dresden, and I enjoyed it. Most of the reviews say this story was lacking the regular horror of the Dresden stories, but I didn't mind the lack of it.

LUCIEN SOULBAN - HELL IN A HANDBASKET
Also a little disturbing but humorous at the same time. I only remember bits and pieces. I think there was something about a baby sent down to Hell in a handbasket, and the demons were trying to figure out why it was there. The ending ends up being pretty funny.

NANCY KILPATRICK - BITCHES OF THE NIGHT
About a typecast vampire from Transylvania and his three bitches of the night.
A funny story; it won't have you rolling on the floor, but it was decent.


ONLY OKAY

CHARLAINE HARRIS - AN EVENING WITH AL GORE
WILL LUDWIGSEN - A GOOD PSYCHO IS HARD TO FIND
SHARYN MCCRUMB - DEAD HAND
STEVEN SAVILE - DEAR PRUDENCE



UNMEMORABLE

CHRISTOPHER WELCH - THE ELDRITCH PASTICHE
MATT VENNE - ELVIS PRESLEY AND THE BLOODSUCKER BLUES
MARK ONSPAUGH - OLD SCHOOL
J.A. KONRATH & F. PAUL WILSON - THE SOUND OF BLUNDER
D. L. SNELL - LOVE SEAT SOLITAIRE
DON D'AMMASSA - NO PROBLEM
JANET BERLINER - HIGH KICKS AND MISDEMEANOURS
ERIC JAMES STONE - PR PROBLEMS
SHERRILYN KENYON - WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD
MIKE RESNICK - A VERY SPECIAL GIRL
NANCY HOLDER - I KNOW WHO YOU ATE LAST SUMMER

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

According to the title of the book and the plot description on the back, Blood Lite is supposed to be a "humorous" book, the stories are supposed to be funny and scary at once... but well, they aren't.

I was very disappointed by the number of awful stories in this collection. Many of them fell flat, it was clear that the authors were trying be silly and amusing, but instead they came off as desperate and bleh. In the beginning I forced myself through these stories, but after a while I just straight up stopped reading and skipped to the next tale.

There were also stories so bad I seriously wonder if someone forgot to tell the authors that this is supposed to be a “dark and humorous” anthology, not an awkward and depressing anthology. The only reason I read this book was because I was in the mood for something funny with a twist, but instead I got stories that bummed me out. Major fail.

Of course it wasn’t all bad, that’s the nice thing about anthologies, you’re bound to get at least one story you like. I enjoyed Charlaine Harris’ "An Evening with Al Gore," which told the story of some hardcore environmentalists. It was a pretty decent read with a wonderfully bloody twist. However, while a good tale, it wasn’t funny, which was supposedly the point of this book. I also liked Sherrilyn Kenyon’s story, it actually was humorous, but it felt more like a prologue to a book and not a short story. As much as I love Kenyon, I was a bit sad that the story ended before it was told. I also found Jeff Strand’s “The Bell… FROM HELL!!!” amusing, it wasn’t the most creative of stories, but it did get a wicked smile out of me. Out of all the stories in the book Jim Butcher’s “Day Off” was most definitely the best. I haven’t read the Dresden Files, but after this story I want to. It was hilarious, entertaining and very well-written. Butcher’s story pretty much saved this book.

Overall, Blood Lite was a huge let down, thank goodness I bought it for cheap otherwise I’d be feeling cheated right now. There were a few amazing stories in there that are worth a read, so I can’t tell you to stay away from the book, but I can tell you to be wary and don’t expect many laughs.

[Gina Gallo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the stories were funny and cute. It didn't keep my interest enough to make it a quick read, but it was a fun one. Some of my favorites:

Kelley Armstrong wrote "The Ungrateful Dead" which focused on Jamie, the Necromancer. It was funny- focusing on the grumpy and whiny dead people. We all know some people who will be like that- dead or alive!

Joe R. Lansdale wrote "Mr.Bear"- This story just tickled me. I don't know if it was because the idea of Smokey the Bear being a psychopath is just plain funny, or the fact that the schmuck in the story is just so schmucky, but it was awesome!And I love the idea of the government "erasing his mistakes", because he was a forest fire role model!

Lucien Soulban wrote "Hell in a Handbasket" about a practical joke played on Hell. Cuteness personified!

Matt Venne wrote "Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues" about a vampire Elvis...which explains SO MANY THINGS. Genius story.

JA Konrath and F Paul Wilson wrote "The Sound of Blunder" about an annoyed crook and his ADD sidekick. Very funny- I kept snorting throughout it. The dialogue was the best part.

Steven Savile wrote "Dear Prudence" a seemingly sweet story written in letters to Miller's woman. It all goes downhill after that. I know the feeling.

Nancy Kilpatrick wrote "Bitches of the Night" where you have to feel sorry for dear, old Dracula who doesn't wear the pants anymore. His wives have run amok and the only moral is three wives are three too many!

AND MY FAVORITE OF THEM ALL:
Jim Butcher wrote "Day Off: A Story of the Dresden Files" which was hilarious, as all of his books are, about Harry trying to have a day off...which, of course, can't go as planned. Don't want to give anything away. Just read it- it's funny--even if you haven't read the rest of the Dresden Files.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology is a 21-story salute to the light-hearted side of horror stories. First off, the intent of this collection was not to scare the pants of the reader. If your looking for seriously Steven King-ish or Lovecraft-ian work (though some of those elements can be found here), then look somewhere else. If you're looking for some vampire/werewolf/zombie love that is the predominate fad the last few years, again, your looking on another shelf. I would consider the maturity to be PG-13. It IS horror based after all and there is some mild rending of bodies, but not all of the stories have buckets of blood or limbs being thrown around.

PROS: If your looking for something light, thought provoking, different and short, then this might be for you. With 21 different stories by different authors to choose from, there are as many different ways to view things that go bump in the night. Some stories are twisted, some disturbing, all are light hearted and entertaining: A melting pot of plots, with something for everyone.

CONS: Where Blood Lite potentially fails is that the book was billed as humorous horror. I enjoy dark humor and thought provoking literary mechanics. For the most part, I did not literally LOL while reading these stories. Yes I was amused and did smile as a few stories when I finished it, in payment for the punchline, but I wasn't LMAO.

I DID come away entertained and satisfied with the thought provoking. literary artwork having finished the book in under a week. If you can forgive the original cover art and like to experiment with new or vetted authors, then this is for you. (Note: Blood Lite was re-released with a different, more impressive cover in a re-release.)

Just don't expect to ROFL.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

11/1/2009
Immediately read "The Ungrateful Dead", "Mr. Bear" "An Evening With Al Gore" "Where Angels Fear to Tread" and "Day Off"

The Ungrateful Dead • [Women of the Otherworld Short Fiction] • (2008) • shortfiction by Kelley Armstrong
Mr. Bear • (2009) • shortfiction by Joe R. Lansdale [as by Joe Lansdale ]
Hell in a Handbasket • (2008) • shortfiction by Lucien Soulban
The Eldritch Pastiche from Beyond the Shadow of Horror • (2008) • shortfiction by Christopher Welch
Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues • (2008) • shortfiction by Matt Venne
No Problem • (2008) • shortfiction by Don D'Ammassa
Old School • (2008) • shortfiction by Mark Onspaugh
The Sound of Blunder • (2008) • shortfiction by J. A. Konrath and F. Paul Wilson
An Evening with Al Gore • (2008) • shortfiction by Charlaine Harris
Dear Prudence • (2008) • shortfiction by Steven Savile
A Good Psycho Is Hard to Find • (2008) • shortfiction by Will Ludwigsen
High Kicks and Misdemeanors • (2008) • shortfiction by Janet Berliner
PR Problems • (2008) • shortfiction by Eric James Stone
"Where Angels Fear to Tread" by Sherrilyn Kenyon
re-read in Dark Bites 2/18/2015
306 • A Very Special Girl • [Harry the Book] • (2008) • shortfiction by Mike Resnick
Love Seat Solitaire • (2008) • shortfiction by D. L. Snell
I Know Who You Ate Last Summer • (2008) • shortfiction by Nancy Holder
Bitches of the Night • (2008) • shortfiction by Nancy Kilpatrick
The Bell ... FROM HELL!!! • (2008) • shortfiction by Jeff Strand
Dead Hand • (2008) • shortfiction by Sharyn McCrumb
Day Off • [The Dresden Files] • (2008) • novelette by Jim Butcher

[Pam Winkler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally got this one back from the library so I could do my review. Yay!
The Ungrateful Dead by Kelley Armstrong was pretty nice.
Mr. Bear by Joe R. Landsdale was a bit disturbing?
Hell in a Handbasket by Lucien Soulban was pretty amusing.
The Eldritch Pastiche from Beyond the Shadow of Horror by Christopher Welch was pretty funny.
Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues by Matt Venne wasn't really my sort of thing.
No Problem by Don D'Ammassa was kind of funny.
Old School by Mark Onspaugh and the Sound of Blunder weren't really that interesting to me.
An Evening with Al Gore by Charlaine Harris I loved.
Dear Prudence by Steven Savile didn't interest me much.
A Good Psycho Is Hard to Find by Will Lundwigsen was pretty amusing, I liked it.
High Kicks and Misdemeanors by Janet Berliner was pretty odd.
PR Problems by Eric James Stone was pretty nice.
Where Angels Fear to Tread by Sherrilyn Kenyon wasn't all that interesting for me.
A Very Special Girl by Mike Resnik was pretty good; I liked it a lot.
Love Seat Solitare by D. L. Snell, I Know Who You Ate Last Summer by Nancy Holder, Bitches of the Night by Nancy Kilpatrick, The Bell...FROM HELL!!! by Jeff Strand; none of those were interesting to me.
Dead Hand by Sharn McCrumb was interesting, I liked it.
Day Off by Jim Butcher was hilarious; I liked it a lot.
Overall, the book was pretty varied, but there were some stories I just absolutely loved, so it's a pretty good book.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last time I read this I read it for the Charlaine Harris story about a wealthy couple who take on the environment as their cause in “An Evening with Al Gore;” “Day Off” a Jim Butcher story about Harry Dresden trying unsuccessfully to take a day off; “The Ungrateful Dead” by Kelley Armstrong is about the psychic she writes about in her Otherworld series, Jaime.

This time I reread it for “No Problem” by Don D’Ammassa, about a graduate student who is Frankenstein’s descendent. I also really liked Matt Venne’s “Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues” which has a very different Elvis as vampire than the Sookie books do. Here, he’s a star and a hero in command, and a vampire hunter, as well as a vampire.

This has a price tag on it $5.97 from Target, I think.

Review from 12/9/09
A collection of mostly funny short stories, with Harry Dresden not getting a day off in “Day Off.” The “PR Problems” of ghouls as compared to werewolves and vampires are explored in the story by Eric James Stone. “Dear Prudence,” by Steven Savile is an epistolary short story, with the hero imaging yet more violent ways to kill his wife. Charlaine Harris’s story is about rich people who do not sufficiently change their ways after “An Evening with Al Gore.” Jaime the necromancer has to contend with two spoiled ghosts in “The Ungrateful Dead,” by Kelley Armstrong.

This was fun!