{"id":1112,"date":"2014-02-13T22:06:02","date_gmt":"2014-02-13T22:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stoneskin.wpengine.com\/?p=1112"},"modified":"2014-02-14T20:22:39","modified_gmt":"2014-02-14T20:22:39","slug":"inside-the-new-gothic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.stoneskinpress.com\/index.php\/inside-the-new-gothic\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside The New Gothic: “The Debt Collector”"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Gothic is the most enduring literary tradition in history but in recent years friendly ghosts and vegetarian vampires threaten its foundations. The New Gothic<\/a><\/em> is a collection of short stories which revisits to the core archetypes of the Gothic, the rambling, secret-filled building, the stranger seeking answers, the black-hearted tyrant, and reminds us not to embrace but to fear the darkness.<\/p>\n

Subtle terror pervades the small town visited by the narrator of \u2018The Debt Collector\u2019 by Fi Michell. Although he quickly discovers there is a vampire in the village, the extent of the vampire\u2019s influence makes for a disturbing revelation. The story is a slow burn with an atmosphere reminiscent of Susan Hill\u2019s The Woman in Black.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Bored of watching the locals, I examined the dimly lit black-and- white photograph of a deer-hunting scene that hung on the wall above my table in the Wolf\u2019s Head Tavern, the only decoration not scallop-shaped. Judging by the Art Deco style, this wing was newly built, doubtless thanks to the hamlet\u2019s thriving tourist trade. The din of the pounding rain mingled with laughter and singing.<\/em><\/p>\n

Cold wind parted the smoke haze. In the open doorway, a man in an old-fashioned hooded greatcoat bent over his wooden cane. By my wristwatch, precisely nine p.m., as we\u2019d agreed. I stubbed out my cigarette and signalled.<\/em><\/p>\n

The hood concealed his inspection, but I felt it nonetheless. The same joint-weakening predator\u2019s scrutiny I\u2019d learned to flee growing up in the Bryceter city slums. Not something I\u2019d expected.<\/em><\/p>\n

As he shuffled through the crowd, conversations paused. Several patrons nodded to him before returning to their beer. The proprietor signalled a waiter to take the coat, but the old man waved him away and leaned his cane against my table.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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I stood, extending an open palm. \u201cMr. Devereaux, I am Marcus Slade. Thank you for coming. May I buy you a drink?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Slade.\u201d His voice rasped; his grip was icy and surprisingly firm. \u201cNo, you may not.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

We sat, and he pushed back the hood, revealing a scalp as white as bone and sunken eyes set into bruises. If I\u2019d not felt that gaze, he might still have been the elderly man I\u2019d expected, so I looked for the spark deep within his pupils.<\/em><\/p>\n

There it was. The faintest indigo flicker. My left hand clenched over old scars. A vampire, and only two feet of table between us.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

For the rest, get The New Gothic<\/em><\/a> from Stone Skin Press.<\/p>\n

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Fi Michell<\/strong> lives in Sydney, Australia. Her love of myth, fantasy, and \"\"science\u00a0fiction was born during three years of cold, rainy days in Wellington, New Zealand, as a child. She has had careers in architecture and e-commerce, but now writes whenever her two children permit. Fi Michell may be found online at http:\/\/fimichell.wordpress.com<\/a>.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Gothic is the most enduring literary tradition in history but in recent years friendly ghosts and vegetarian vampires threaten its foundations. The New Gothic is a collection of short stories which revisits to the core archetypes of the Gothic,…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/a><\/div>\n

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