(Review) Jeani Rector’s AND NOW THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS: THE HORROR ZINE by Nancy O. Greene

 

 AND NOW THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS: THE HORROR ZINE

Edited by Jeani Rector

Paperback: 260 pages

Publisher: BearManor Fiction (December 22, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1593933568

ISBN-13: 978-1593933562

Review by Nancy O. Greene

 AND NOW THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS: THE HORROR ZINE is an anthology edited by Jeani Rector, the editor of The Horror Zine. It boasts stories and poems by up-and-coming writers, as well as work by well-know authors such as Ramsey Campbell and Joe R. Lansdale.

 All-in-all, there’s a lot of fabulous artwork in this book, and it’s obvious that a lot of care went into choosing those pieces. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the same care was extended to choosing and editing all of the stories featured in the anthology. Normally, I try to give some leeway for a few typos and simple errors that were overlooked. While quality editing and copy editing are important factors, they are not easy tasks. Many writers, including myself, have spoken about having issues with un-learning old rules and re-learning new ones, or just not catching errors in their own works. But as writers and editors, a (sometimes frustrating and difficult) part of the craft is learning and applying those technical rules—no matter how often they change, how tedious the task, or how ridiculous the rules seem.

 It’s especially important, though sometimes easier, when editing the works of other writers. It requires using a different part of the brain and can be an uphill battle for most creative types. Of course, once those rules are learned there is a certain amount of creative interpretation that can be applied, but that’s another topic.

 Now, if a tale is really good, typos and the occasional awkward sentence may not be noticed because the story just has that kind of pull. Again, unfortunately, that’s not the case with a number of the stories in ANTNB. The typos and awkward sentences become another annoyance in stories with less than stellar plots, pacing, characterization and storytelling. Too many of them seem like trunk stories from writers that, based upon their resumes, have better works to display. The quality of the anthology as a whole may also have been overlooked if not for the big names present that draw even more attention to the other stories and the overall editing.

 The care and attention put into choosing stunning artwork and attracting well-known writers should have been put into making sure that all of the authors were represented in the best possible light. If it was, then more effort was needed.

 It’s not all a wash, though. There are a number of stories and poems that stand out. “The Dead Wall,” while having some problems with pacing and transitions, is a hard-hitting short about what happens to a scam artist that uses women and other people for sex or money. What made this story interesting was the ending and its horrifying and sinister message.

 Simon Clark’s “The Pass” is a frightening tale about perceptions and war. Though seemingly far too short, “The Silent Hours” is reminiscent of old-style horror. It’s chilling, to-the-point, and well-written.

 “The Rattling Man” starts off as an adorable—if frightening—story, possibly for kids, but has a scary conclusion that begs for a sequel.

 Terry Grimwood’s “What The Dead Are For” is undoubtedly one of the better stories in the anthology. It has excellent pacing, characterization, and a storyline that’s not seen too often. A dark tale with zombie and science-fiction undertones, it questions the validity of faith, the afterlife, and what it means to help and be helped by your fellow human beings.

 E. J. Tett’s “Delete Contact” was a quiet horror story about a man and his dead wife. Though there were some problems, and there are other stories that had less, it was fairly tight and memorable.

 Ramsey Campbell’s “The Hands” is a reprint and a horrific little treat that will make you think twice before walking into a dark church or talking to strange nuns.

 The poetry section was less problematic than the fiction section, with some stand out work by Joe R. Lansdale—particularly “One Man with a Rifle,” about the JFK assassination—and a few interesting and haunting pieces by newcomer Sylvia Tanaka.

 There’s also an “Editor’s Corner” in the anthology for featuring Jeani Rector’s fiction. Of those pieces, a tale about roaches and their victims is a creepy piece of work that will make one’s skin crawl, literally. It could also use a red pen, especially to cut down on the excess, but it’s still a frightening and fun piece of fiction.

 Despite its faults, AND NOW THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS: THE HORROR ZINE is an ambitious and visually stunning first anthology. Given that The Horror Zine is continuous, there will be plenty of chances in the future for the editor to improve upon her editing skills and work on featuring more high-quality tales on the site and in the next anthology, so that The Horror Zine better represents the goal of being a place for writers—new and experienced—to showcase some of their finest work, and not their trunk stories.

Nancy O. Greene