One Whipped Mother

He Remembered the Roses

I have just read something that moved me to tears, a tribute to someone I didn’t know personally, but with whom I’d had the distinct honor of sharing the same space on June 8, 2002 during the Bram Stoker Awards in New York City when he’d received, along with Stephen King, the Lifetime Achievement Award -- J.N. (Jerry) Williamson.

This gorgeous, loving, gently humorous tribute to the late Mr. Williamson is written by Gary Braunbeck, one of my favorite short story writers, an amazing writer that I’d discovered some years back when he blew me away with his Cemetery Dance serialized novella "Mr. Hands." When I learned that my story would appear in the Borderlands 5 table of contents alongside Stephen King’s and Gary’s, I just about wept. I think I did weep, come to think of it. If you’d like to read that beautiful, imaginative, dark literary tale (titled “Rami Temporalis“), it’s also available in the mass paperback version From the Borderlands. And I'm thrilled that once again my piddly name is appearing alongside his in The Best of Borderlands (Gary's story is titled "Union Dues").

Gary Braunbeck, although critically acclaimed, and who has already acquired quite a name for himself in the world of dark fiction, will, mark my words, be as well known as, say, Richard Matheson. He’s that good.

If you haven’t yet read his work, or that of Jerry Williamson’s, do yourself a favor and remedy that. Until then, please look at this. If this is your first introduction to these two fine gentlemen, I guarantee that you will not regret it, but be warned: you may need a Kleenex. Or two. If, like myself, you already are a fan, then you might need three. Or four. Or five...

posted by Ms. Lori @ 10:03 AM