Australian Horror Writers’ Association in conjunction with David Schembri Studios: Issue 1 2008, ISSN 1836-3873; Issue 2 2009, ISSN 1836-3873

Midnight Echo Issue 1, edited by Ian Mond and Kirstyn McDermott, is the inaugural anthology of short stories compiled by the Australian Horror Writers Association, bringing together 16 short stories from an array of up and coming and established Australian authors. It includes one brand new offering from Robert Shearman, who was recently announced the winner of the World Fantasy Award for Best Collection 2008 for Tiny Deaths. It also showcases the illustrative talents of Jenny Davis, Andrew McKiernan and Dale Rhodes, whose works, along with the suitably haunted format of the entire magazine, set the tone beautifully for a quality collection of talent.

There is a great selection of the supernatural, each with lessons to share, from the sexually charged “Smoke” by Matthew Chrulew, touting the importance of heeding one’s parents, to the seemingly common sense maxim of “Don’t cross a sorcerer regardless of the potential gains” as taught in David Conyers’ “Cactus”.

In the best tradition of horror stories, many monsters are only partially, or never at all, revealed, giving the reader’s imagination full rein on exactly what they are staring at. Felicity Dowker’s mystery creatures in “They Live Under the House” along with Paul Haines’s “Taniwha, Swim With Me” are possibly not the real monsters of the stories at all, but provide an outlet for the darker side of human emotions. “After Sunset” by Marty Young blurs the line, making us wonder whether the monster exists or whether the protagonist is battling personal daemons. This story melds well with several disconcerting psychological insights conjured by “Pale Dark Soldier” by Deborah Biancotti and the truly disturbing “Honeytime” by Brendan Duffy and Andrew Macrae, both of which provide an uncomfortable window into twisted minds.

There were a couple of stories that staunchly refused to be categorised but which I found the most enjoyable. “Suburban Cowboys” by Natalie J.E. Potts simply extends what we’ve all contemplated from time to time whether we admit it or not, while “Accidents” by Dave Hoskin gives a modern spin to an old favourite and gives a vivid frame of reference to what Red Riding Hood faced on the long journey to Grandma’s house. Along with these, “New Blood: Shell Game: An encounter with Dave Hoskin” by Steven Studach was one of the most entertaining, if unorthodox, interviews I’ve read in a long time.

There were several pieces of flash fiction that I felt were a little too short in the midst of the longer works. “Bang!” by George Ivanoff and “Night Hunting” by Stephen Studach were both enjoyable pieces in their own respective rights, but did not seem to flow with general feel of the compilation. “Post” by Rachel Holkner wove a chilling tale of murder in less than two pages, and the final piece, “Piggies” by Martin Livings, would have been earmarked as my personal favourite despite its short length, had I not just eaten when I read it. It quite literally left my toes curling and helped maintain the lingering feeling of uneasiness I had developed in reading this anthology.

From the surreal to the more familiar voodoo theme, “Drowning” by Alice Godwin and “Broken Images” by Stephen Dedman rounded out a solid collection of Australian works, along with the equally unsettling ring-in from the motherland “Be of Good Cheer” by Robert Shearman.

Following the success of Issue 1, Midnight Echo Issue 2, edited by Shane Jiraiya Cummings and Angela Challis, offers another 15 short stories and flash fiction, including some new authors as as well as some familiar faces from Issue 1. It includes a suite of award-winning pieces from Christina Alexander, David Conyers and Benjamin Hayes. There is a plethora of artworks from around the world that keep the mood suitably creepy throughout, although the border art did not quite capture the same dark mood as the first issue.

Through many of the stories, there is a distinctive Australian feel, which will definitely draw some uneasy parallels to personal experiences for any Aussies who have ever ventured past their front door, particularly in Joanne Anderton’s “Shadow of Drought” for anyone who has travelled beyond the city limits. This story brought back vivid memories of visits to the drought-stricken countryside, and then took them several steps further.

There is also an underlying thread of birth and rebirth. “The Emancipated Dance” by Felicity Dowker details a dreamlike rebirth of liberation as opposed to David Conyers’s “Homo Canis”, which gave me a definite ‘Matrix moment’ of questioning exactly what is real around me. “Sole Provider” by Chris Reed initially disappointed and confused me, but its alternative spin on the traditional breadwinner sucked me in and hooked me after a second reading, once I actually wrapped my brain around what my eyes were reading. It also left me with a lingering, worried thought about what would happen should the protagonists ever decide they needed to move house.

Of course there are the traditional horror staples of blood and death. Particularly noteworthy among these is “Sweet Music” by Shaun Jeffrey, which puts a unique spin on old fashioned creative pain. It would have won my prize for Biggest Reader Reaction if not for the lingering sense of sadness created from Andrew J. McKiernan’s “The Message”.

Where the inclusion of a few Flash Fiction pieces in Issue 1 seemed to break my concentration somewhat, here they have been interspersed seamlessly among the longer stories to create an almost commercial-break style feel between the larger pieces. They are definitely drawn from the better class of commercials, however. Stephen Studach’s new interview instalment with Jason Crowe (whose Losing Tahlia also appears in this issue) rounds the selection out nicely with its wide open feel and definite expectation of a sequel.

I had some initial worry that there would be little consistency between issues, as they were compiled by different editors (Angela Challis and Shane Jiraiya Cummings). However this worry was allayed well before I was finished reading, since there is clearly a wealth of talent to draw upon. The magazine has definitely maintained and reinforced what was created with the success of Issue 1, and if the previews on the website of Issues 3 and 4 are any indication, this should be further built upon in the coming instalments.

As an infrequent horror reader, I found that Midnight Echo offers a wide range of styles and themes that wrenched my eyes open to the possibilities of the genre, from almost-believable twists on everyday themes to the completely off the wall. This magazine is highly recommended as a showcase of local and international talent, and a must-add to the regular reading list of anyone with a reasonably strong constitution. Should AHWA and its contributors maintain their standard for future issues, this is definitely a publication to watch out for.

Midnight Echo Issue can be ordered online in either electronic or hard copy format at http://australianhorror.com/