Blood Lite

Blood Lite (2008 ~ Blood lIte #1) — Anthology edited by Kevin J. Anderson.

Genre and Sub-Genres[]

Urban Fantasy, Horror, Humor

Threme[]

Humorous Horror

Companion Books[]

Blood Lite II: Overbite (2010)
Blood Lite 3: Aftertaste (2012)

Editor and Authors[]

Editor: Kevin J. Anderson (SciFi, Fantasy, UF))

Contributors: Sherrilyn Kenyon (UF), Nancy Kilpatrick (Horror, Erotic Horror, Vamp-Fict), Jeff Strand (Horror, Humor), Don D'Ammassa (Sci-Fi-Myst, Hor, Non-Fict), Charlaine Harris (UF), Sharyn McCrumb (Myst-Thrill), Steven Savile (Hor, SciFi-Fant, Supe-Western, Myst-Thrill), Jim Butcher (UF), J.A. Konrath (Myst-Thrill, Hor, Hum), F. Paul Wilson (SciFi, Hor), Will Ludwigsen (Hor, SciFi-Fant, Fict), Janet Berliner (Fant, SciFi, Hor), Kelley Armstrong (UF), Mike Resnick (SciFi, Fant), Joe R. Lansdale (Hor, Myst-Thrill, Fict), Lucien Soulban (Hor, SciFi-Fant, Supe-Western), D.L. Snell (Hor, Myst-Thrill, SciFi-Fant), Christopher Welch (Supe-Myst), Nancy Holder (UF, YA), Eric James Stone (SciFi), Matt Venne (Non-Fict), Mark Onspaugh (Hor, SciFi-Fant)

Description[]

Blood Lite is a collection of stories written by members of the Horror Writers Association featuring tales from award-winning, bestselling authors and even a few that are mostly unknown and only publish in the short story medium. This anthology contains stories about zombies, vampires, demons and angels, even a descendent of Dr. Frankenstein, not to mention homage’s to author’s works such as Ray Bradbury and H.P. Lovecraft too. This book is edited together by Kevin J. Anderson, who is also a founding member of the Horror Writers Association, but he does not contribute to the collection. ~ The Movieholic & Bibliophile's Blog

Blood Lite is a collection of stories written by members of the Horror Writers Association featuring tales from award-winning, bestselling authors and even a few that are mostly unknown and only publish in the short story medium. This anthology contains stories about zombies, vampires, demons and angels, even a descendent of Dr. Frankenstein, not to mention homage’s to author’s works such as Ray Bradbury and H.P. Lovecraft too. This book is edited together by Kevin J. Anderson, who is also a founding member of the Horror Writers Association, but he does not contribute to the collection.

With every anthology you get some good, some bad, and some that are just okay and in Blood Lite you get a diverse collection of all of these things. Out of the 21 stories I only liked ten of them but there were six that were really good and they were by Kelley Armstrong, Lucien Soulban, Charlaine Harris, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Sharyn McCrumb, and Jim Butcher. I plan on picking up books by these author’s that I haven’t read very soon. Blood Lite II: Overbite comes out September 28, 2010.

Supernatural Elements[]

Vampires, zombies, werewolves, demons, seraph, angels, a descendent of Dr. Frankenstein, weird science, necromancer, ghoul-hyena-shifter, poltergeist, Rock star cannibals, Cherokee magic, ghost, ostrich spirit guide, Hell's gate, Hellchaser, magic medallion, Rock star cannibals, bell to summon Satan, fleas from Nevernever, forces of darkness,

List of Stories[]

Story Title	Series and Order Number	Author	Supes	Lead(s)	Pgs
"The Ungrateful Dead"	Women of Otherworld #8.2	Kelley Armstrong	necromancer, ghosts	Jaime Vegas, Savannah	30
"Mr. Bear"	none	Joe R. Lansdale	bear	Jim, Mr. Bear	31
"Hell in a Handbasket"	none	Lucien Soulban	demons, Hell's gate	Vassago, Eve	27
"The Eldritch Pastiche from Beyond the Shadow of Horror"	none	Christopher Welch	forces of darkness	Chris	18
"Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues"	none	Matt Vene	vampire	Elvis	32
"No Problem"	none	Don D’Ammassa	weird science	Viktor Frankenstein heir	22
"Old School"	none	Mark Onspaugh	necromancy	group of teenagers	4
"The Sound of Blunder"	none	J.A. Konrath & F. Paul Wilson	none	Mick and Willie	39
"An Evening with Al Gore"	none	Charlaine Harris	Werewolves	Toddy, Mark	29
"Dear Prudence"	none	Steven Savile	no supes	Miller	11
"A Good Psycho is Hard to Find"	none	Will Ludwigsen	chainsaw wielding psychopath	Chet, Misty	11
"High Kicks and Misdemeanors"	none	Janet Berliner	ostrich spirit guide	Legs Cleaveland, Willie Downtown	23
"PR Problems"	none	Eric James Stone	ghoul: turns into hyena, vampires, werewolves	Mr. Ahsani	10
"Where Angels Fear to Tread"	Dark-Hunter series #14.5, Hellchasers #0.5	Sherrilyn Kenyon	Hellchaser, magic medallion	Zeke	18
"A Very Special Girl"	none	Mike Resnick	Zombie, spooky creatures	Harry the Book, Dead End Dugan	21
"Love Seat Solitaire"	none	D.L. Snell	poltergeist	Sam, Dave, and Jess	21
"I Know Who You Ate Last Summer"	none	Nancy Holder	Rock star cannibals	Angelo, Dwight	17
"Bitches of the Night"	none	Nancy Kirkpatrick	Vampires	Istvan	27
"The Bell… FROM HELL!!!"	none	Jeff Strand	bell to summon Satan	Howie	11
"Dead Hand"	none	Sharyn McCrumb	ghost, Cherokee magic	Rattler and the Champ	23
"Day Off"	Dresden Files series #10.1	Jim Butcher	wizard, werewolves, fleas from Nevernever	Harry, Molly, Luccio, Andi, Billy, Kirby, Georgia	33

To expand the table, right-press or (Control-press on a Mac)—choose add row.

Synopsis by Story[]

"The Ungrateful Dead" by Kelley Armstrong — Women of the Otherworld series #8.2

Jaime is being heckled by a rich, spoiled brat of a ghost who seems to think she “serves the dead,” all while on her séance tour too! Her partner in crime in this story in Savannah who is the ward of Paige from Dime Store Magic and Industrial Magic. — First Sentence: I see dead people. Unfortunately, they also see me.

"Mr. Bear" by Joe R. Lansdale

The story is about Smokey the Bear, though he never comes right out and says it. The main character is a man named Jim who this bear sits down next to on a plane and proceeds to brag about all the tail (though that isn’t quite the word he used) he gets and in general be disgusting. Then their plane gets stranded at their layover and then the “fun” begins. Mr. Bear and Jim have a night on the town, get in some trouble, and then make their way to Yellowstone Park. Mr. Bear is slightly insane so Jim doesn’t have much choice in what happens after he gets off that plane. — First Sentence: Jim watched as the plane filled up.

Hell in a Handbasket by Lucien Soulban

A baby is left at the mouth of Hell and the only question is who is going to get to eat her? This takes place in what in Dante’s Hell among many other cultures and religions and includes several demons from history such as Mastema, Gressil, Harpy, Furfur, Vassago (he appeared in Dean Koontz’s book Hideaway), Mammon, and even ones from other cultures too (Heaven makes an appearance as well). Only Vassago knows what the child is and how to deal with her which the demons that want her for supper soon figure out themselves. — First Sentence: The basket sat at the foot of the Inferno’s red-hot, iron-wrought gates, below the steaming plate that read Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!

The Eldritch Pastiche from Beyond the Shadow of Horror by Christopher Welch

Addicted to writing what amounts to bad horror fanfiction of the Cthulu mythos, Chris seeks help. — First Sentence: I went through the motions, the ritualistic motions I had done hundreds of times.

"Elvis Presley and the Bloodsucker Blues" by Matt Vene

Elvis becomes a vampire which is why he stopped making movies and started Viva Las Vegas as well as how he got fat, (instead of biting people he started having blood transfusions) and eventually, setting the record straight on how he died. Everyone but the press knows about it too. — A vampire Elvis who just happens to be a vampire hunter and the story plays with the myths of Elvis and brings a lot of real life things to the story. — First Sentence: Well, ain’t this just a kicker?

"No Problem" by Don D’Ammassa

A scientist studying biochemistry at Brown University discovers some old family journals and learns that he’s the great-great-great grandson of Viktor Frankenstein. After reading some of Frankenstein’s accounts, Herbert Franken throws out his research and begins his studies anew. He says, “Please don’t get the impression that I had suddenly turned into some kind of mad scientist. I had no intention of digging up dead bodies at midnight, erecting a lightening rod on my roof, or stealing brains from Brown University.” However, when he accidentally kills his nosy next door neighbor is when it starts to get hairy. — First Sentence: I swear I had good intentions.

"Old School" by Mark Onspaugh

It’s only a little over 3 pages long. A group of teenagers get together to try to raise a corpse, mostly to impress the Goth girl one of them has a crush on. Of course their plans go awry. — First Sentence: “And arise!”

"The Sound of Blunder" by J.A. Konrath & F. Paul Wilson

About two small time crooks Mick and Willie. After (Mick the Mick’s partner in crime’s Nana bakes a pound cake using a key of cocaine that they were holding for a mobster, they need to figure out a way to come up with some money quick because after all, “no junkie is going to snort baked goods.” So they hit upon the idea of robbing the Pennsylvania Museum of Natural History and Baseball Cards where they hope to steal an artifact but end up getting sent through time. This story was inspired by Ray Bradbury’s The Sound of Thunder. — First 2 Sentences: “We’re dead! We’re freakin’ dead!”

"An Evening with Al Gore" by Charlaine Harris

The supernatural reaction to Al Gore saying we should green up. A couple of hardcore environmentalists, Toddy and Mark are werewolves who take going green deadly serious and host a party for some of the worst environmental offenders. — First Sentence: Toddy Makepeace had seen Al Gore speak the previous spring, and a year later she hadn’t quite gotten over it.

"Dear Prudence" by Steven Savile

Steven Savile’s main character Miller is writing his lovely wife a quick note to let her know he’s going out and then proceeds to fantasize about what he’d really love to say to her in the story Dear Prudence. Each letter more disturbing than the previous though there is no real supernatural element involved in this one. — First Sentence: Miller held the pen poised over the scrap of paper, thinking about what he would write.

"A Good Psycho is Hard to Find" by Will Ludwigsen

Chet and his girlfriend Misty find life dull. After fighting off a psychopath with a chainsaw at a camp where they were counselors, the two seek to recapture that rush. However, ‘Bungee jumping and race-car school didn’t capture the same feeling. The risk was too arbitrary, accidental. [He] needed the personal touch of another human being going out of his or her way to kill [him], not the capricious hand of fate.” Just how are they going to get that feeling back? — First Sentence: At least with the Chainsaw Guy, you always knew where you stood.

High Kicks and Misdemeanors by Janet Berliner

Legs Cleaveland is a Las Vegas “self-styled talent scout with a penchant for long-legged chorines.” After a couple of dead bodies show up near him and he needs some advice one what to do, he heads to his great-uncle Willie Downtown, the scariest loan shark in the city. He’s a great believer in his spirit guide, which happens to be an ostrich and there are some people using his and other ostriches to further their own political agenda. — First Sentence: Most things that happen in Vegas stay in Vegas because no one outside the city would believe them.

"PR Problems" by Eric James Stone

Mr. Ahsani the ghoul (which transforms into a hyena and is not undead in the slightest but does eat carrion) is sick of vampires and werewolves getting all the good press while he’s stuck at a custodian job in PR Problems by Eric James Stone. He soon discovers the serial killer that the press nicknamed the “Grove City Ghoul” actually is living in his building, what is he going to do? Mr. Ahsani is a ghoul but he’s not a killer, he’s genuinely relieved when one of his neighbors arrives home because it means she didn’t get snatched by the killer, and he tries to rescue someone when he probably could have gotten away first. Altogether not a bad guy… if you look past the eating dead flesh part. — First Sentence: What annoys me the most about vampires and werewolves is their good PR.

"Where Angels Fear to Tread" by Sherrilyn Kenyon — Dark-Hunter series #14.5, Hellchasers #0.5

Working a dead-end job where he constantly gets screamed at by callers, Zeke is in for a bit of a shock once he inherits some things from his estranged granduncle. One of those things is a medallion with something special about it. See how Zeke got his powers! — First Sentence: “From humble beginnings come great things.”

"A Very Special Girl" by Mike Resnick

Harry the Book has appeared in other stories by this author. In this one, Harry’s employee Dead End Dugan falls in love and gives Harry’s three grand away. So of course he sets out to retrieve it. — First Sentence: "I am reading the Daily Racing Form in my temporary office, which is the third booth at Joey Chicago’s 3-Star Tavern, and coming to the conclusion that six trillion to one on Flyaway in the fifth at Saratoga is a bit of an underlay, as there is no way this horse gets within twenty lengths of the winner on a fast track, a slow track, or a muddy track, I have my doubts that even a rain of toads moves him up more than two lengths."

"Love Seat Solitaire" by D.L. Snell

A bunch of bachelor guys are sitting around playing Street Fighter when the apartment’s poltergeist starts to act up. At first it just little things but then soon as one of the characters puts it, “Casper’s gone Michael Myers on us.” Better do what he wants or else! — First Sentence: “Dude,“ Jess said, pushing up his glasses, “the kitchen table’s floating again.”

""I Know Who You Ate Last Summer"" by Nancy Holder

Rock star cannibals are next. Angelo and Dwight have been friends since they were kids and it was Angelo with his trust fund that got them to Hollywood and set up to be musicians. However, it was Dwight that helped them both discover the love of human flesh. Now someone is sending text messages saying they know who they ate last summer and their lives are never going to be the same. — First Sentence: “That should be ‘whom,’” Carla M. said, “and that’s part of the problem.”

"Bitches of the Night" by Nancy Kirkpatrick

Nancy Kirkpatrick explores how Dracula (in this case a vampire named Istvan) would have felt if all his brides were modern women in Bitches of the Night. Poor Istvan is sick and tired of being henpecked by his brides when all he wants to do is relax, drink a little O Negative and watch re-runs on TV. — First 2 Sentences: “Dis night, you vill take two each, a male and a female. And dis time, no AB negative!”

"The Bell… FROM HELL!!!" by Jeff Strand

A guy named Howie buys The Bell… FROM HELL!!! However, none of his coworkers believe him so they constantly tease him about it. Finally fed up with their teasing, Howie decides to ring the bell the required six hundred and sixty-six times to prove once and for all that he has a bell to summon Satan. — First Sentence: I own a bell forged by Satan himself.

"Dead Hand" by Sharyn McCrumb

This time about a little failing team of drivers who do things the old way still and are losing badly until their Cherokee chief mechanic works up a bit of magic to bring back the ghost of driver known as The Champ who had died in a plane crash. — First Sentence: I don’t hold with talking to dead people.

"Day Off" by Jim Butcher — The Dresden Files series #10.1

Harry Dresden, “Chicago’s only professional wizard, shamus of the supernatural, gumshoe of the ghostly, and wiseguy of the weird is looking forward to his Day Off in Jim Butcher’s short story however, someone up there is bound and determined that he doesn’t get to rest. First, some wizard-wannabes start harassing him, then his assistant proceeds to accidentally blow up his lab, and finally two of his friends that occasionally shift into wolves have a problem and need his help as well. Will Harry ever get to go one his date? Jim Butcher is a well-known, award-winning author of the Dresden Files series of which Day Off takes place. — First Sentence: The thief was examining another trapped doorway when I heard something-- the tromp of approaching feet.

Source: The Movieholic & Bibliophile's Blog: HWA Presents an Anthology

Cover Artist[]

Artist: Lisa Desimini

Publishing Information[]

Publisher: Pocket Books- Simon & Schuster
Book page: Blood Lite | Book by Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Kevin J. Anderson - Simon & Schuster
Book data: paperback, 468 pages, Pub: October 21, 2008—ISBN: 1416567836

Cover Blurb[]

The Horror Writers Association Presents Blood Lite...a collection of entertaining tales that puts the fun back into dark fiction, with ironic twists and tongue-in-cheek wit to temper the jagged edge.

Charlaine Harris reveals the dark side of going green, when a quartet of die-hard environmentalists hosts a fundraiser with a gory twist in An Evening with Al Gore...

In an all-new Dresden Files story from Jim Butcher, when it comes to tracking deadly paranormal doings, there's no such thing as a Harry's Day Off for the Chicago P.D.'s wizard detective, Harry Dresden...

Sherrilyn Kenyon turns a cubicle-dwelling MBA with no life into a demon-fighting seraph with one hell of an afterlife in Where Angels Fear to Tread...

Celebrity necromancer Jaime Vegas is headlining a sold-out séance tour, but behind the scenes, a disgruntled ghost has a bone to pick, in Kelley Armstrong's The Ungrateful Dead. ~

Quotes[]

From "Hell in a Handbasket" by Lucien Soulban—a gaggle of demons discusses what should be done with a bouncing baby girl who's been left in a basket at the gates of Hell:

"Well, I think I should eat her," Mammon said. "As the demon of Avarice, it would be bad for my image if I didn't."

"Nobody's eating her," Vassago said.

A cacophony of voices broke out in dissent and a few demons began pushing each other away. Vassago decided to end the argument.

"Fine...we'll settle this according to the Old Ways, the Dead Ways," Vassago said. A hush fell over the chambers.

"Fight to the death," someone whispered.

"No! Choose a champion to battle for her meat," someone else countered.

Vassago shook his head and picked up the child. "Older than that," he replied. He licked her exposed tummy with his snaking tongue. She giggled. "There...I licked her, she's mine now." ❖

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