"Autumn Love" and The Devil's Hour
Our autumn love poured out in mugs. Slogans on warm rims.
There is a chill in the air, and I am loving it. I’m sitting here on my back porch in a comfy sweater listening to the sounds of the night as the wind picks up, and there are coyotes roaming and howling just past the line of human habitation.
I was hoping for an owl. Something that I could call my boys down to look at through our night vision binoculars. No such luck tonight. Yet, the dark of my backyard and the small woods beyond feels like home on a night like this. I want to step out into the embrace of the darkness and see what is waiting for me.
We have a tiny protected wood across the street from our house as well. I keep having this story idea of a vampire living there and coming out to greet us each morning as we jump in our car to speed off to school before the sun even comes up.
In my story, my daughter and I stand just inside the threshold of the garage and chat with the vampire. Ask him how he is doing and catch up on the neighborhood gossip. We know that if we slipped up and invite him in, we would be dead, but there is no fear with the rules of society in place. We trust the rules.
I need to figure this out and get it down. I am sure it would end bloodier than the quaint scene I have here. For some reason, I have more than one story kicking around my head about a vampire waiting for me outside my house.
If you are someone who loves fall as much as I do, I wanted to share my poem, “Autumn Love,” that Penumbra Online was sweet enough to publish in their fall 2021 issue.
The poem came out of the Creative Writing Club that I work with at Chatt State. Those club meetings are so great for students, and I always find that I have wonderful luck with the writing I create in those sessions. I believe that I have had four different projects I started there published, and I have at least three more that are out on submission calls right now (fingers crossed).
This poem is one of many that I wrote with my wife as inspiration. Many years ago now, she asked why I had not written any poems about her and then was horrified as I started writing love poems and sending them out for publication. I think that she has come to accept and enjoy the poems. I believe she ignores the idea that other people can read them too.
Penumbra Online is a great journal. Give them and their many authors some love while you are over there.
Let me know what you think of “Autumn Love” in the comments.
I have been thinking about gathering my published and some unpublished short stories together for a collection called The Devil’s Hour. These stories will be hosted by a horror host DJ on a spooky, late-night radio program. Helena Pretorius will introduce each short story and set the mood with her own brand of horror host.
Of course, she is named after one of my favorite mad scientists of all time, Doctor Septimus Pretorius from The Bride of Frankenstein.
I am also really inspired by the amazing Stevie Wayne from John Carpenter’s The Fog.
Why am I telling you all about this? Because I am going to post these stories here as I revise them and add the introductions from our esteemed host. Look for the first few to pop on here soon.
Of course, I would love to hear what you think of my stories and Helena’s role. Be sure to comment as you read the stories!
I finished Reluctant Immortals by the amazing Gwendolyn Kiste. I need to dig into a review soon. I am now reading House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson. Wow, what a world this novel builds. Such a wonderful gothic horror.
Until next time, find me on Twitter @WhyBuckWhy.