Title: Samantha Kolesnik's Lonesome HauntsAuthor: Samantha Kolesnik
Series: Tales from Between Presents #3
First Published: June 28, 2023
Publisher: Tales from Between
Pages: 90
Genre: Horror, LGBTQ, Short Stories, Speculative Fiction
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Rating:
Synopsis:
This edition of TFBPresents features a collection of haunting short fiction from Samantha Kolesnik, author of True Crime and Waif.
"Kolesnik obviously writes without fear or constraint; there is freedom in the prose. Her stories are carnal and courageous, full of spirit and substance—deliciously satisfying."
– Sadie Hartmann, Night Worms
TFBPresents focuses on the fiction of a single author per edition, complete with author notes on each story and a wide-ranging interview, it's a must-have publication for fans of genre fiction.
Buy the Book: AmazonReview
From the first page, I was instantly reminded of how incredible Kolesnik’s prose is. This collection has a good range of stories in different subgenres of horror that center on loneliness as a central theme. This collection was not overly violent or graphic; instead, it focused on emotion and was a nice change of pace for me.
This is the second book I’ve read by Samantha Kolesnik, and I can honestly say now that I’ll read anything they write, no matter the genre. I’m so happy that I found this collection. It’s a tiny one, but there wasn’t a single story that I didn’t enjoy. I couldn’t put it down, and it now sits proudly on my shelf next to other favorites.
Individual Story Notes:
♥ Another Me, Another Time: A haunting story about a young woman modeling for a painting by an elderly female artist. There’s also a mannequin, and honestly, this story was so creepy it starts the collection off with a bang.
♥ Wild Appetites: Starvation is an absolutely terrifying thing, and food insecurity is a real-world issue, so the story was particularly scary. Two women are starving on a dying farm and have resorted to the unthinkable. The feeling of desolation in this story was overwhelming. This was my favorite of the entire collection.
♥ Secret By The Shore: This was an emotionally raw story without any of the supernatural scares of the first two stories. The main character is a closeted lesbian grappling with her fears of throwing her life away to start over. The narration is heady with desire tinged by an undercurrent of anxiety and loneliness. This was my least favorite of the collection, but it’s still a strong story.
♥ Lost Contact: Lost Contact was honestly a surprise sci-fi horror with a little sprinkling of cosmic horror. I really liked how she explored the loneliness of the digital age, the way that the lack of human connection in this story feels like the natural evolution of what we’re currently experiencing in the present day, a terrifying thought.
♥ Shrewd: A married woman working in a supermarket in a small town gets more than she bargained for when she flirts with her dark and brooding coworker. I could relate hard to the main character’s dissatisfaction with her boring marriage; the desire she feels for something more exciting was palpable and made me think of my prior relationships. The ending left something to be desired, but the strong character work and small-town setting make up for it.
Rating Breakdown
| Another Me, Another Time: ★★★★★ Wild Appetites: ★★★★★ Secret By The Shore: ★★★★☆ |
Lost Contact: ★★★★★ Shrewd: ★★★★☆ |
Quote
“I want Her to devour me like she does the others. I want to finally be united with that part of me that can still touch, love, and feed, but every time I lay next to Her, she is completely still.”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Authors
About Matthew Stott
Matthew Stott writes stories.
He runs the micro-press Tales From Between, which publishes short stories, focusing on horror and fantasy.
talesfrombetween.wordpress.com
He also co-created the Uncanny Kingdom Urban Fantasy Universe, where, as M.V. Stott, he scribbles fun, fast, magical stories.
About Samantha Kolesnik
Samantha Kolesnik is an award-winning writer and film director living in central Pennsylvania. Her screenplays and short films have been recognized at top genre film festivals and her fiction has appeared in notable literary magazines including The Bitter Oleander, The William and Mary Review, and Barnstorm. She is one of the co-founders of the Women in Horror Film Festival. True Crime is her first novel.
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