The Australian Horror Writers Association (AHWA) has just released the fifth issue of the semi-annual fiction and poetry magazine, Midnight Echo. AHWA President Leigh Blackmore, who edited this issue, says it showcases the diversity of horror and should cement the publication’s reputation as a genre leader. “There is no overall theme for the issue—the stories range over a wide gamut of horror themes and approaches. For issue five, I concentrated on stories of psychological and supernatural horror, a bit of Cthulhu Mythos, some post-apocalyptic scenarios and anything that was well written enough to rivet my attention as a reader who has been absorbing horror for well over 45 years.”
Blackmore also increased the number of poems in this issue. “In the shake-up due to space limitations there are now a few less of each genre, but it was deliberate on my part to include numerous weird and darkly fantastic poems as well as stories. As a horror poet myself, who also writes stories, I’m aware of the fantastic talent poetry out there, and think the AHWA should be supporting this often-overlooked aspect of the genre. We also have a graphic story in this issue, which helps us support our claim that we promote horror in all media and manifestations.”
The magazine is (or will soon be) available for A$3.50 (for a pdf copy) or A$11 (+A$3 postage) for a print copy from this page. Members of the AHWA receive a pdf copy for free, or a print copy for A$10 plus postage.
The contents of this issue include:
Editorial by Leigh Blackmore
Literature:
“Dark Me, Night You” by Terry Dowling
“A Short Spoon” by Blair Kelly
“Steps” by George Ivanoff
“Too Many Number 16’s” by Christopher Sequeira
“He’s Got a Ticket to Ride” by Juliet Bathory
“Fun House” by Mollie L. Burleson
“The Timely Demise of Nayland Branchard” by Damien Giles
“God of Chickens” by John Goodrich
“On the Other Side” by Rick Kennett
“And He Shall Suffer for His Art” by Bryce Stevens
“Hunting Rufus” by Jason Fischer
“Letters of the Once and Newly Dead” by Christopher Green
“Lillian” by E. Albert Banstrom
“Goggy” by Jason Fischer
“Widdershins” by Robert Mammone
“Shore Lunch” by Chandler Kaiden
“That Which We Create” by Felicity Dowker
“The Weight of Children’s Stories” by Aaron Polson
Poetry:
“The Quiet in the Flat Above” by John Grey
“Sounds on a Lover’s Night” by Guy Belleranti
“All Hallows’ Hope” by Joyce Frohn
“Ebon Night” by Phillip A. Ellis
“Tell No Tales” by Adrienne J. Odasso
“A Deathless Love” by Margaret Curtis
“The Dead Come Back” by Ann K. Schwader
“It’s 5:00a.m. and I Hear Them Stirring” by Terrie Leigh Relf
“Shipboard at Night” by Michael Fantina
“The Quiet One” by Ann K. Schwader
“Teiresias” by Fred Phillips
“Citadels on Ganymede” by Michael Fantina
“Mystery” by Fred Phillips
“Kephren Comes to Town” by Charles Lovecraft
“Genius Loci” by Michael Fantina
“Twilight of the Mage” by Leigh Blackmore & Richard L. Tierney
“The Sleep of Reincarnate Zones” by Charles Lovecraft
“The Land of Dreams Gone Bad” by Kyla Ward
“Raquel” by Michael Fantina
“The Eremite” by Phillip A. Ellis
“Stalking the Cornfield” by Mike Berger
“Exorcism” by Kyla Ward
“Apocalypse” by Rosa Christian
“Zombie Dog” by Ron Wilkins
Special Features:
“An Interview with Jeff Lindsay” by Scott Wilson
“An Interview with Chris Mars” by Juliet Bathory
“Allure of the Ancients” by Mark Farrugia & Greg Chapman (graphic story)
Artwork by Martin Blanco, Tony Karnes, Gaston Locanto, Chris Mars, Wayne Palesado, Shane Ryan, and Carl Schaller.