Darkness:Two Decades of Modern Horror Starred review in PW

Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror Edited by Ellen Datlow. Tachyon (IPG, dist.), $15.95 paper (480p) ISBN 978-1-892391-95-7
This diverse 25-story anthology is a superb sampling of some of the most significant short horror works published between 1985 and 2005. Editor extraordinaire Datlow (Poe) includes classic stories from horror icons Clive Barker, Peter Straub, and Stephen King as well as SF and fantasy luminaries Gene Wolfe, Dan Simmons, Neil Gaiman, and Lucius Shepard. The full diversity of horror is on display: George R.R. Martin's “The Pear-Shaped Man,” about a creepy downstairs neighbor, and Straub's “The Juniper Tree,” which chronicles a drifter's sexual molestation of a young boy, exemplify horror's sublime psychological power, while Barker's “Jacqueline Ess: Her Will and Testament” and Poppy Z. Brite's “Calcutta, Lord of Nerves” are audaciously gory masterworks. This is an anthology to be cherished and an invaluable reference for horror aficionados. (Apr.)

My wine and I made it home--this morning

My flights back from Radcon yesterday were all screwed up because the plane I was meant to take from Pasco, WA to Denver and then on home was delayed in San Francisco, supposedly because of fog. (various SF residents have said "what"? But hey, that's what we were told. So my flight was three hours late, I missed the connection in Denver to NY and there were NO OTHER FLIGHTS OUT FROM DENVER TO NY THAT NIGHT--so I was shipped off to Los Angeles (from Denver) and just about made my flight having to maneuver from the United terminal at LAX to the American terminal (there was nothing else till hours later?).... I happily got my luggage, which to me is a miracle, having had it move through four separate airports and two different airlines.

So I got to my front door 10am, checked email quickly, ate some cheese and crackers--I hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday as I didn't have time to grab anything trying to catch my LAX plane home and they didn't serve ANY FOOD --FOR SALE OR ANYTHING on the effing plane.

Took a two hour nap and feel much better. Started unpacking and the two lovely bottles of Washington Wine Bob Brown gave me came through in my checked garment bag came through intact. And I got a note that the TSA searched my luggage--most likely the wine set them off.

Radcon was great but I've gotta say that traveling home from there nearly killed me. If I ever go again, I'm going to stay over somewhere enroute for a few days.