Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes

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Another favorite of mine is “You’re Not Supposed to Be Here”, a very human-based sort of story that reminded me a bit of Stephen King’s “Morality” albeit more cutting and enjoyable. I especially liked the way this story wrapped up. I didn’t know where it was going the whole time I was reading, and I love that feeling!

A startling affair… I’ll be cleaning up particles of darkness in my office for weeks.”– Josh Malerman, author of Bird Box andMalorie About the book:Eight stories of literary dark fiction from a master storyteller. Exploring the shadow side of love, these are tales of grief, obsession, control. Intricate examinations of trauma and tragedy in raw, poetic prose. In these narratives, a woman imagines horrific scenarios whilst caring for her infant niece; on-line posts chronicle a cancer diagnosis; a couple in the park with their small child encounter a stranger with horrific consequences; a toxic relationship reaches a terrifying resolution… Foregone Conclusion: The author's notes at the beginning let the reader know that Agnes does not survive the events of the book. This was a big disappointment, mostly because I had seen how many people loved the first and titular story of the three published in this collection. It's certainly the best story here, but sadly that isn't saying much.

The Strange Thing We Become and Other Dark Tales is a solid nightmare of stories. Each story manages to hit something deep inside you, be it horror, melancholy or a sense of foreboding. Sometimes you meet someone and within a few minutes you know you're going to be the best of friends. That's how I felt about this book within a few sentences. Where Flames Burned Emerald As Grass is another story that spirals into terror when a stranger intrudes, this time on a single father vacationing with his young daughter and contemplating his future with a new love.

We read the couple’s meet-cute on Queerlist.org where Agnes is selling an antique apple peeler. From there, we read as the couple fall in love, we read their fetishistic contract wherein Agnes agrees to relinquish all control over her finances and decision-making faculties to Zoe, and, slowly but surely, we read as Zoe manipulates, gaslights, and abuses Agnes until the story climaxes into one of the best conceived works of body horror fiction of recent years. None of these words were supposed to be read by anyone else; yet they were written for publication. This dichotomy plays at the centre of the reader’s response to this novella.

The next time a stranger asks to play a game at the park when you’re with your children, be afraid, be very afraid. In the story, BODIES ARE FOR BURNING, the main character struggles with intrusive thoughts. LaRocca exposes the reality of a very real mental health crisis and it’s hard to be in that intimate shared space with someone who is imagining horrific scenarios while in the company of their infant niece. This one lingers. Some horror walks you down a dark corridor, where there’s whispers and laughter, sobs and screams. Other horror starts down at the end of that corridor, where there’s a door that opens on to you don’t know what. Read this, and then decide where Eric LaRocca has left you. Not that it matters. There’s no way out.”– Stephen Graham Jones, author of The Only Good Indians and My Heart is a Chainsaw This was another story which explored the potential of losing your child and the difficult choices a parent may have to make. It also shows the consequences we have to live with as a result of our choice.

Three dark and disturbing horror stories from an astonishing new voice, including the viral-sensation tale of obsession, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. For fans of Kathe Koja, Clive Barker and Stephen Graham Jones. Winner of the Splatterpunk Award for Best Novella. The Strange Thing We Become - This story being the most similar in style to his wildly popular story, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. Heart wrenching and utterly disturbing. A sad story of not valuing what you have until it's gone. It was okay okay read for me. I kind of don't like to read about uncaring mothers and their children. Rating : 3 stars Let's take a stroll through the mind of the gifted, creative, and twisted writer: Eric LaRocca. I hope I can come out unscathed on the other side. If not, then I hope it only hurts a little. Time will tell.... I thoroughly hated Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and yet, it only went downhill from there.

Three dark and disturbing horror stories from an astonishing new voice, including the viral-sensation tale of obsession, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke . For fans of Kathe Koja, Clive Barker and Stephen Graham Jones. Winner of the Splatterpunk Award for Best Novella.

A beautifully crafted, devastating short fiction collection from the Bram-Stoker finalist and author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes. Each thing we love takes a little piece of us whether we give it willingly or not. By the time we find the person we were meant to be with, we're a honeycombed shell of what we once were. Each person we love turns us into the strange thing we become."The Strange Thing We Become and Other Dark Tales is a collection of horror short stories, and these stories cover a wide range of topics and characters. In most short story collections, some pieces are stronger while others are weaker; however, in this one, I'm looking through the notes I took while reading these stories and I literally gave each and every one 5 stars all on its own. With a collection this powerful, each piece deserves a moment of attention. This book kind of blew me away 😅 I’ve been waiting months to read “Things have gotten worse since we last spoke”. It’s the story of a woman named Agnes w A stranger appears after his daughter hurts herself and presents Norval with a way out, a way to change everything and give Cassie what she desires most, whilst also freeing Norval to pursue his love and life and purpose with his lover. I really love Larocca’s fearlessness. By that I mean that it takes guts to write these types of stories. They’re definitely not mainstream and may not appeal to every reader though I’d encourage everyone to give them a try. Larocca is a brilliant writer and one who I look forward to reading more from. Most of the horror elements are little stories that the two women tell each other and which have nothing to do with what you're here for — a downward spiral of a terrible, bad sadomasochistic relationship.