Horror Fans, You're in Luck!

And not just because the final presidential debate is tonight. 

If you're a fan of horror and of indie publishing, check out the new anthology Alone in the Dark.  Featured in the collection is "Carl," a terrific story by my former student, Austin Crowder, who turned it in to our creative writing class at Wabash College a few years ago.  It's sad, funny, a little creepy, and moving, and it turns out to be Austin's first paid publication.  Woo-hoo, Austin! 

Here's Austin's elevator-description of his piece:
  

"Carl" is the story of an android created to serve the needs of big box giant Floor-Mart.  Carl is reaching his seventh year of service, and is in line to be recycled.  It's too bad that Carl doesn't know that he's supposed to die.  The story is told from behind the gauze of Carl's faded, idealistic memory as hard work and corporate devotion start to take their final toll.

Not only is it a great story, but there's nothing like getting a little political relevance in your indie-horror fiction!

Which brings us back to tonight's debate.  Alas, whether it's a wooden rehash of earlier debates or it turns nasty, as threatened, I won't be able to watch it live, since I'll be reading from The Truth Book at UNO.  

For a beautiful overview of election events, see "The Choice" in The New Yorker's recent Politics issue.  It's so solid, thorough, and elegantly written; it may not tell you much you didn't already know (if you're a politics junkie), but it organizes a welter of detail into a coherent, lovely package.  I plan to quote from it at length when next asked what I think about the election (in order to sound much, much brighter than I actually am).  Try it.  You'll like it.

That is, if you're an Obama supporter.  If you're a McCain supporter, it will make you rend your garments, gnash your teeth, and rip the hair from your scalp.  It'll give you that end-times feeling.