Crazy about Strantzas

Not only have I found a handful of incredible short stories to choose from, but I have found a new favorite writer as well. The writing of Simon Strantzas embodies everything I look for in a story: beautiful language, detailed imagery, and captivating plot. Now add to that a dark, twisted sense of horror, and you have a short story by Strantzas. Before this assignment, I had never heard of the somewhat morbid writer, but as soon as I happened upon it, I noticed a somewhat sinister vibe that is not unlike the writings of a certain Edgar Allen Poe. That was the deal cincher.
Strantzas has quite the collection of short stories, several of which are bound together in two literary compilations: “Cold to the Touch” and “Beneath the Surface’. As though the titles weren’t entrancing enough, both covers depict a livid image (or in the case of “Cold to the Touch”, lack thereof) which define the word “eerie”. Though I almost wish I could spend weeks doing nothing but combing through his short story collections (and quite frankly, I might), I’ve narrowed my choice down to four stories: “Behind Glass”, “Something New”, “Dinner at the Factory”, and “Pinholes in Black Muslin”. I am unequivocally thrilled by and in love with all four.