"I'm Melting!" etc....
Am getting this one!
Nov 1st/16 - It just arrived; I'll get to it after a few other books and report back....
Nov 4 2016
I've read the first few stories, and am rather impressed:
1. Gramma Grunt - Donald R. Burleson
Jason Mitchell goes back to his childhood neighbourhood. Will anyone be there who remembers him?
2. By The Hair of The Head - Joe R. Lansdale
The narrator rents living space in a lighthouse from the old "lighthouse director". One night they have a few brandies and get chatting about witches and magicians....
3. The Hunt - James S. Dorr
When Elizabeth was a child, her Bavarian grandmother nicknamed her "Frau Berchta", who leads the Wild Hunt in the sky. Now Elizabeth is a grown woman whose life has taken several unhappy turns....
4. The Fit - Ramsey Campbell
Peter goes to visit his dressmaker Aunt Naomi in Keswick once or twice a year. He meets Old Fanny Cave who makes odd dresses for some of the local children. For me this is one of Ramsey Campbell's more outstanding, very creepy, stories.
5. Witches in the Cornfield - Carl Jacobi
Jimmy and Stella Tapping live on a farm with their parents. Mr. Maudsley and Mr. Trask are two scarecrows in the cornfield. Or are they?
6. Somewhere My Love - Stephen Mark Rainey
Mrs. Weiler, an elementary school music teacher, exerts a powerful "spell" over little Warren. This is a witch tale in only the sweetest and most charming sense. Melancholy and evocative, it lingers like the warm breeze of a summer gone by. Wow, I should start writing myself.....
7. Burning In the Light - Juleen Brantingham
Painter Mary Swan loves Paul but things aren't working out so well. Her friend (housekeeper?) Marlene works her magic to protect her but Mary doesn't want to be protected. Good stuff, even if I don't quite get all of it...
Nov. 5/2016
8. The Scream - Mike Ashley
Sarah, a young girl, is about to be burned at the stake after miraculously surviving the village's misfortunes.
9. The Mandrakes - Clark Ashton Smith
Gilles Grenier and his wife Sabine are herbalists who make love potions in what I gather is medieval France. A really really good story!
10. Next-Door Neighbour - Don D'Amassa
Lucy thinks her neighbour, Old Mrs. Brackford, has put a curse on her father, preventing him from working. She decides to sneak inside to investigate.
11. Witch Hunt - Christie Golden
Jason is 8 years old and has accepted a dare to egg Old Mrs. Barrett's house. Do all witches' surnames start with B? I guess I'll find out after another few dozen tales. The consequences are not what he (or we) expected.
12. The Laurel Lake Laser - Aimee Kratts
Penny Goldpenny's witch family craft is making broomsticks. One day, an angel with a problem stops by....A humorous fantasy, in case you haven't guessed already. I liked this one....
13. The Only Way to Fly - Nancy Holder
Jessamyne is an elderly witch and widow of Michael, a human. She and others are on a flight (an airplane flight) to "The Royal Home for English Witches" in Kent. But she finds she's not quite ready to settle down. Another fun, humorous fantasy.
14. The Princess and The Frog - Tina L. Jens
Cindy is a young woman in 1920s Paris. She needs a date for the next ball and, of course, goes to witch Serena's workshop to have one made.
15. There'll Be Witches - Joe Meno
Little Davie wets his bed in fear when the witches underneath it come out at night. Then his grandfather comes up with an idea that might help....
16. Alan's Mother - Steve Rasnic-Tem
Alan's mother is a kind and gentle "conjure woman" Their relationship changes as he grows from a young boy to a pre-teen. Frankly, not much happens in this one....
17. Bloody Mary - Simon McCaffery
Karen is concerned about some classmates at her daughter's elementary school who're scaring each other with a book about witches. Her husband tries to show their daughter that Bloody Mary is just an urban legend. But is it?
18. Mobile Home - Michael Skeet
Another story involving what seem to be 10-12yr olds. Brad is the bully in a gang that Tommy's a member of, for lack of anything better to do. Brad likes to throw rocks at animals and when Tommy refuses to participate, he's tied up and brought to Mrs. Fedoruk's yard. Is she a witch and will she hurt Tommy or is it all a "young boy's tale"?
19. Of Time and Space - Hugh B. Cave
Victor Dalbin stole his brother's girlfriend away and married her himself. Now that he's rather tired of her, he has time to go through the box of photograph albums (remember those?
his brother Dan has sent him. What will he find?
20. A Matter of Honour - P. K. Partain
Albert's mother-in-law hates him because he didn't fight for his wife, a witch like her mother. So she gives him frog's feet, nickels for ears, etc. When he agrees to fight for his wife, she sends him to a cave with a giant in it...An amusing story played strictly for laughs.
21. Hair Apparent - Don D'Ammassa
Melanie finds herself "cursed" with hair that won't stop growing. Can Madame Estelle help?
22. A Good Witch Is Hard to Find - Dawn Dunn
Calvin Cleaver has a wart on his enlarged nose and it's Delilah Pritchard's doing. Just because they had a one-night stand, more or less, that he didn't mean shortly before his upcoming marriage. Can Shelly, a witch, help him? Can any witch?
23. Psychomildew Love - Lois H. Gresh
Cora Cromley has a crush on her younger married neighbour Warren Truckenmiller. She decides to do something about it....
24. The Career Witch - Thomas M. Sipos
Alex tries to contact his dead (witch) wife Cassandra via a ouija board. Her sister Meg comes over to give him advice he refuses to believe.
25. Retrocurses - Terry Campbell
Amanda Collins lives in a small Massachusetts town that hanged 6 innocent women in 1692. The town has decided to dig them up from under the tree they were hanged from and give them separate burials in consecrated ground. This turns out to be a bad idea, at least for Amanda.
26. Daughters - Juleen Brantingham
The unnamed narrator has dreams relating to her birth mother. Very little happens in this thankfully short story.
27. Beware of That For Which You Wish - Linda J. Dunn
Moira goes to Eithne, a fairy-wish, with a wish. But you know what they say, be careful what you wish for....
28. Cerile and The Journeyer - Adam-Troy Castro
Frankly, I didn't care to read this. Something about a young man seeking the witch Cerile, over the Soul-Eater Mountains, through the Curtains of Night and past the scars of the Eternal War. That was all I cared to read of this 4.5 pg story.
29. The Witch of the World's End - Darrell Schweitzer
Another story that wasn't for me; this witch creates tapestries "out of shadow and starlight and something infinitely finer than spider's silk". 10pgs in total.
30. Inyanga - Janet Berliner Gluckman and George Guthridge
A glimpse into a female West African witch doctor's efforts to cure a young boy in what I'd guess is the mid-1930s.
31. Requiem for a Witch - Dan Perez
Young Winnie the witch is dying of cancer; before she goes she wants to help somebody in dire need....
32. Crone Woman Gandy - Richard Gilliam
Newborn Rachel Colton is taken to Crone Woman Gandy for a blessing. This is on the last winter solstice of the 1800s, somewhere in the US. Old Jessica Haggerty is not pleased. Frankly, I didn't see the point of this one...
33. The Devil's Men - Brian Stableford
Based on the North Berwick witch trials of 1590 Scotland, John Cunningham is accused of witchcraft. This can only end one way....
34. The Caress of Ash and Cinder - Cindy Geddes
Sarei is brutally and horrifically tortured to make her confess to heresy. A story with a neat twist!
35. I Feel My Body Grow - Del Stone
A story that's difficult to describe. The narrator seems to be a man who loved a woman in a previous lifetime but condemned her to death as a witch. She in turn laid a curse on him that comes to fruition in a current lifetime. That's the best I can make of it.
36. The Conversion of St. Monocarp - Brian McNaughton
Another odd but mildly entertaining story. Friedegunde is an ugly woman in the late 900s, daughter of a count with a new, younger wife, Flosshilde. Willi, a dwa- sorry, little person, loves her. Somehow she persuades Brother Monocarp to kill Willi whiles she kills Flosshilde so they can take over their much nicer bodies. With any luck, they can give themselves new, nicer names too.....
37. Garage Sale - Janet Fox
Finally, a story in the modern era. An amusing tale of Jen, who meets her husband at a garage sale. That's all I'm saying.
38. Buyer Beware - Tim Waggoner
Isobel needs to buy a used car, since she's neglected her broomstick so badly, it's in for repairs. Will salesman Dan get the better of her?
39 On the Wings of the Wind - Lillian Csernica
Luisa is in spiritual difficulties and calls upon Gaia for help. Well done but not my type of story...
40. Alexa, Skyclad Benjamin Adams
Someone tries to blackmail Alexa Grant after taking a photo of her skyclad (naked) in her circle in the woods behind her cabin. She gets her revenge.
41. Angel of the Eleventh Hour - Joel S. Ross
Mara wants to be the next Wiccan Magus, and uses her arts to deal with her competitors. Her familiar, Andromeda, gives her a helping hand.
42. Overdue Fines - Edo Van Belkom
Gale Hardcastle is head librarian of the Burlington Memorial Library. Nobody messes with her, until Mrs. Whitehead shows up and throws her weight around. Gale consults "The Spell of Seven" for help.
43. 1-900-Witches - Nancy Holder and Wayne Holder
Lawyer Jay Jameson expects to be made partner but is shocked when Aaron Spivak is given a partnership instead. Who's he gonna call?
44. Vend-A-Witch Adam-Troy Casto
A rather silly but amusing tale of unlucky Scott Engleman, who finds a vending machine that could change his life and get him a girlfriend.
45. Shedding Light on the Black Forest - Brent Monahan
What does The Black Forest, an Italian widow, a school for difficult children and a famous fairy tale have in common? Read this and find out. Not one of my personal favorites....
46. Suffer A Witch - Mike Baker
Betty re-invents herself as Lucinda, a good witch who follows "Starhawks" books religiously and promotes white witchcraft in the media of the 1990s. But somebody's not happy with that and comes to call...
47. The Politically Incorrect Witch - Benjamin Adams
Goodwife Johnson wakes up in the woods at night about 300+ years after she fell asleep. Confused and lost, Valerie gives her a lift in her "carriage" and they discuss witchcraft.
48. Grue Love - David Annandale
Mother Mayhem is a matchmaker; Tanith invites her to a modern-style coven sabbat where a demon is called up. Meh....
49. Dry Skin - Charles M. Saplak
Frank's mourning the recent loss of his wife Deborah. But she's not quite ready to let him go. Didn't quite get this one....
50. Gather Round and You Shall Hear - Billie Sue Mosiman
Unattractive Dessy gets a potion and spell to attract a man, but people have to die for it to work. Sadly, things don't end well.
51. Fish Witch - Lois H. Gresh
Caretta is a fish. Also a witch, I think. I skipped this one.
52. The Hammer of Witches - Mark Kreighbaum
Madeleine is on the run in a night-time storm from "neo-inquisitors".
53. Witch Hunter - Douglas Hewitt
Another modern witch,Brenna, must run from Murdock after he killed her mother.
54. Sorrow Laughed - Tom Piccirilli
Julia is an artist having an exhibition. I don't know who or what the narrator is....
55. A Spell of Research
A certain very famous English playwright visits some witches while researching a play. They don't really take to him.
56. How the Cookie Crumbles - Mollie L. Burleson
Timmy runs away from home after being beaten by his mom for animal cruelty. Trying to find his way out of the woods, he notices the delicious smell of baking....
57. Coming Out of the Broom Closet
Robert and Eric break up. Eric decides to tell everyone that he's a witch. There's still a surprise at the end, though. 2 pages of mild amusement.
58. Bat's Blood For Flavor - Adam Niswander
A fun little story about an old lady who shops daily at supermarket. She catches the attention of the new manager. This becomes more his problem than hers.
59. The Metropolitan Menace - Gordon Linzner
Miss Slade tries to help museum authorities track down a cat's mummy that's disappeared. To me, she wasn't a witch but more of a psychic/empath. I guess for some readers, that's the same thing. Nothing too much happens here.
60. In the Cards - Martin R. Soderstrom
Two detectives visit Toronto's Psychic Fair looking for clues regarding a series of murders.
61. Plague - Ernest Long
Three prisoners are brought before Governor Yang in ancient China. He believes one of them has brought the plague to the city.
62. Under Control - Danielle D'Attilio
The narrator's wife Marg(eurite) can't stop using her powers to do harm to her neighbours and fellow townspeople. It seems they'll have to be moving on once again.
63. Dressed to Live - C. Bruce Hunter
Nicola visits a witch to get help with her desperately ill husband. Just not the kind of help you'd think.
64. Common Grounds - P. D. Cacek
Geena works in a new-age store. One day, her ex Ken's new girlfriend walks in. Geena's never gotten over Ken dumping her.
65. She's My Witch - Norman Partridge
Johnny and Shari are high-school sweethearts in 1950s USA. Quite unique sweethearts.
66. The Angel - Christie Golden
Kat had loved the Angel for as long as she could remember.
67. The Good Witch of the North Wing - Steve Antczak
The narrator and his wife (?) go back to the state institution in Georgia to visit an old friend. They bring along somebody very special. Another story that was just so-so, for me.
68. Fiddlesticks - C. Diane Slatton
The dwarf Sir Cranston Pitts hated the witch. He challenges her to take revenge, through his son,
on the King who banished her and had her feet cut off.
69. Empty Jar, Empty Chest - Stephanie D. Shaver
Terent is a hunter/poacher in love with Regan. He goes to the witch, Malana, for help.
70. Brownouts - Billie Sue Mosiman
Guida loses more of her powers with each child she has. Now she's pregnant for the fifth time and she and her husband are about the lose the farm unless she can do something to stop it.
71. Small Workers - Lois Tilton
Nettie and Carl have an ant problem. Actually, Nettie has a Carl problem too. Their neighbour Mrs. Hagopian makes her life easier with 'something from the old country". It's been a hundred pages or so since I enjoyed a story as much.
72. A Wild Imagination - Lisa Lepovetsky
Young Debra has a wild imagination that tends to get out of hand. One day, she and her brother Jerry play mustang and cowboy....
73. Quiet Please - Richard Parks
15-year old Dan sneaks into the cemetery at night to play a prank; his friend John Lee tags along. However, the "joke" is on them.
74. A Hundred Wicked Little Witches - Steve Rasnic Tem
Jack is obsessed with witches and sees one in everything and everywhere.
75. Silhouette - Mark McLaughlin
Knutson goes to Kopy-Kwik to get some copies made by owner Silhouette. Turns out he's after much more than that.
76. Master Tape - Rick Hautala
Louie Phillips runs Caribou Ranch Records, and isn't a man to be messed with. He demands that Abigail come to his office to return her master tape. However, she's added something special to make it sound even better...
77. The Edge - Adam Meyer
Something about baseball, which I have no interest in even if witchcraft is involved. You're on your own with this one.
78. First Do No Harm - Pamela D. Hodgson
The narrator tries to help Tommy, a disturbed boy, by taking him to the place his father was murdered to raise his spirit.
79. Magician's Assistant - Adam Meyer
Madame Suzie holds a seance to raise the spirit of Annie's late husband, magician Harry. The author doesn't explain why the story ends the way it does, but still, not bad.
80. Bad Things Happen on Halloween - Lucy Taylor
In Boulder, Colorado, Matt goes home with Lillian on Halloween night because she's spooked out. But that's just a ruse....
81. Midnight Oil - L. S. Silverthorne
"The Witches of Beltane...come to reclaim those burned centuries before, luring out a victim to trade. Their victim was her next-door neighbour, Jake.
82. Invitation - Katherine Ramsland
The narrator is a newspaper photographer who goes along with Kimm, a reporter, to do a Halloween puff piece about a male witch. Soon, the photographer's wishes start coming true, which is not so good for others around him.
83. Heartbeat - Nancy Kilpatrick
Greg moves from small-town Saskatchewan to Toronto to start his Ph.d. He arrives early and finds himself in the midst of the annual Caribana festival. There he encounters an exotic and seductive woman.
84. Blood of the Rose - Karen E. Taylor
Adam, a funeral home assistant, meets Marie at the funeral of her late husband. He is soon under her seductive spell.
85. Predator's Moon - Mel Odom
The narrator is on the run from an APB in Missouri. He hangs out with a biker gang at a tavern that features a fortune-teller, Rita Ninehawks.
Nov. 7/16
Thank G-d I'm almost finished....
86. Djinneyah & Co. - Blythe Ayne
Anthropologist Ashley meets archaeologist E.J. They go on a dig together in Israel, where E.J. prepares to meet the Djinneyah, creatures of the night created from smokeless fire....
87. The Mudang - Will Murray
Metallus Duende, sorcerer, extradimensional traveller and collector of arcane skulls, travels to Korea to procure the skull of a mudang, a Korean shaman. She tricks him into accepting the skull of a tokkaebi, an imp or demon.
88. Agnes Across the Swamp - Rich Powell
Agnes lived alone for nearly 100 years, in the swamp. One day, she noticed a lot of wounded animals. A hunting lodge had been built by the Mob. She decides to go ask them nicely to stop hunting.
89. Hunger Gulag - Martin Mundt
I skipped this one; a first-person story by a demonic entity, it seems.
90. Young Goodwife Doten - Robert M. Price
John and Prudence Doten are unable to bear children in what seems to be 1600 Colonial New Hampshire. So they pay Goody Watkins a visit to ask for her help.
91. Newcomer - Tim Waggoner
Yuli is an imp who feels neglected by his mistress. When she gives birth prematurely (thanks to his "help") he becomes rather jealous.
92. Just The Two of Us - Hugh B. Cave
Living in Salem, Massachusetts (really?), Danny has developed psychokinetic powers since he became friends with Old Mrs. Kempfer next door. Poor Grandpa gets stuck babysitting him as nobody else will. Danny just has to show Grandpa what he can do!
93. A Bluegrass Reunion - Ben P. Indick
Paw and Maw wuz sittin' on the porch chawin 'n smokin'. They decides to have a fam'ly reunion, even though most a their fam'ly iz deyd 'n buried in Hog Waller Hill. Paw does some "spellin" and invites ever'body. Reedun this here die-lect for fave pages 'n more shure has tard me out.
94. Poppet - Kathryn Ptacek
The narrator is a suburban housewife with an extensive flower and herb garden. The boy next door seems determined to drive her crazy with his saxophone playing, day in and day out. There's only so much music one can take.
95. The Robbery - Cynthia Ward
Sarah Martin is a doctor who's house is broken into while she's away for the weekend. She's sure it's the neighbour's spoiled teenager who did it.
96. Patience Serves - David C. Smith
Something set in the Middle Ages, with lords and senechals. I skipped this one too.
97. This House - Yvonne Navarro
I didn't really get this one, although it was a fairly good read. The narrator is a black witch, daughter of a white witch. She decides to bring some character to her house, but needs a soul to do so...
98. Saunder's Little Friend - August Derleth
For over 20 years, Raneleigh Saunder has been feuding with his one remaining relative, Aunt Agatha. Now that she has died, he's her sole heir. The only condition is that he must not disturb anything in her favorite room. Of course, he does. For me, the best story in the whole book, with "Mandrakes" second and "Wall of Darkness" third.
99. In The Chimney - Simon MacCulluch
A woman's son dies at 13 in a car crash, but she finds a way to bring him back. Odd but fairly good.
100. Wall of Darkness - Basil Wells
An excellent story to finish off with. The narrator and his wife buy a house in Ohio with a wall no handyman will touch.
Ok, the one handyman they found won't repair it. It seems their house was a wing of a bigger house, built by New Englanders kicked out of New England for witchcraft. Doing anything to that wall seems to result in death....
his brother Dan has sent him. What will he find? 
