Red Wet Dirt (Black Bed Sheet 2009)
Review by G.L. Giles
Story by Nicholas Grabowsky

This is one of the most interesting, attention-grabbing collections of writings I’ve come across in a while. From short stories, including two tales of holiday horror I was particularly engrossed in, to screenplays to a letter to Playboy to poetry, etc., this book was certainly diverse enough to hold my attention from start to finish. The first tale of holiday horror is about a twisted female creature in “The Yuletide Thing”; her duality, as both a monster with “long-ass talons” and a “snout …like a mosquito’s proboscis” at Christmastime and also what I’d classify an alcoholic human at other times, was truly frightening (p. 21). The second tale of holiday horror is found in “The Freeway Reaper” where a suicide, on Valentine’s Day, takes place. It’s also filled with all sorts of intriguing characters like an angel who doesn’t realize she is one, or at least one part of her doesn’t realize it, and the serial killer Ray Man. One of Grabowsky’s great strengths is that he captures the imagination of a modern audience as his references to pop culture songs, etc. will be understood and, therefore, relatable to most people; this is especially seen in “The Festival of Fallen Souls” which he wrote for Johnny Martin Walters’ graphic novel series, American Carnevil. Plus, literary gorehounds will love the gore-iffic tale titled “The Father Keeper” which Grabowsky reveals “came to [him] like a dream, so [he] wrote it like one” (p. 123). Of final note, the horror Grabowsky writes is more palatable because it’s often well-laced with humor. The finest example of this is seen in the tongue-in-cheek letter to Playboy entitled “Dear Playboy Advisor.” I literally laughed for about ten minutes after reading that and the reply. Hilarious! Grabowsky wrote it as N. Randers, as he’s written under the pen names Nicholas Randers and Marsena Shane as well. I highly recommend this book, and I give it a 9 out of 10.