Withersin Volume 3, Issues 1, 2, 3
published by Withersin Press
Reviewed by B.L.
Morgan
05.23.10
The highest rating
possible.
There is a rather
unique and infinitely interesting publication that you should be aware of if
you haven’t heard of it already.
The magazine is Withersin. The editorial staff take a
very off-beat outlook at what will entertain their readers and it totally
works.
Volume 3 is
divided into 3 distinctly different sections (or issues). The issues were Turpentine,
Iodine and Arsenic.
Scattered among
extremely interesting fiction and non-fiction stories are articles that detail
strange and wonderful facts about the three substances named above.
Withersin is a magazine designed to
amuse people with a taste for the morbid and weird side of life. As it turns
out, that’s people just like me.
The wide ranging
non-fiction articles included interviews with Dr. Robert Schoch,
author of The Parapsychology Revolution,
world renowned Horror author Sephira Giron, and among others Mary Ann
Winkowski spirit communicator and author of When Ghosts Speak: Understanding the World of Earthbound
Spirits. If you don’t believe in the paranormal before you read these
interviews then get ready for a conversion. These people give you the no
non-sense truth on things that go bump in the night.
The fiction
stories to put it bluntly: All of them were Bad-Ass!!! I thoroughly enjoy it
when an author can make me jump. I jumped many times while reading the stories
in Withersin.
Favorites: It’s
really hard to pick from among so many really great tales.
Hermanesha by Richard Wright leaps out
at me because it was just so subversive and evil. That must be why it was
so much fun.
The Cuculidae by Aaron Legler was plain
wild and gross. It’s my kind of read!
There were also all kinds of really valuable information to be found among the
articles. Things like why eating beetles can be really good for you. Why you
should be collecting Delirium Books. How Iodine was discovered. And last but
certainly not least, why you should not drink the water in
I just loved
the entire volume and will not hesitate to grab the next one.
One final note: Never, I repeat NEVER challenge Cellblock to a gross-out
contest. Read Tales of a Taste Tester to find out why.
YOU HAVE BEEN
WARNED!!!
__________________________________________________________________________________________
reviewed
by Mike Griffiths
06.15.10
If
you haven’t heard of Withersin, I would strongly suggest that you get
yourself a copy right away. Although primarily a horror-inspired publication,
its mixed-media approach allows it to cover a wide range of interests, which
leave most other magazines choking in its dust.
Where
some magazines tend to focus on fiction to the exclusion of everything else, Withersin
accepts no such limitations and, with sinister intent, exposes its readers to a
myriad of bizarre and disturbing subjects. Within the twisted pages of Withersin,
you will find such subjects as supernatural investigations, unusual saints,
demented dreamscapes, and unexplained phenomenon. The editors also feature
interviews ranging from influential horror authors to leaders within the
paranormal communities.
Withersin has
just recently changed its format. While some magazines have gone the
e-publication way, Withersin has moved in a completely unique direction.
What used to be a tri-annual magazine is now only put out once a year, but here
is the strange part. Even though it is now in what could be considered book
form, it is still three separate magazine issues, under one cover!
One
of the most unsettling things I found between the pages of this current
manifestation of Withersin was the reportedly true tale of a ghost
encounter called “Do You Want to Play Catch?” by Heather J. Cutherbertson. Not
much actually scares me these days, or if it does it is because I’ve tried hard
to let it, but this story did it on its own.
There
were four interviews in the most recent Withersin publication. I found
the discussion with Dr. Robert Schoch, who is a professor of Geology and
Paleontology at Boston University, very fascinating. He has painstakingly
broken down various types of paranormal activities and abilities and is
attempting to study them in a scientific manner. Far from being a kneejerk
believer, but not quite a skeptic, Schoch’s numerous books investigate the
various supernatural phenomenon that humans have, or at least claim to have,
encountered. Schoch often has his own take on such matters, such as his belief
that poltergeist activities are caused by the will of the people involved and
have nothing whatsoever to do with spirits of the dead.
Without
a doubt, Withersin is one of the best and most entertaining
horror-focused magazines available. These current issues of Withersin
feature numerous works of dark fiction, such as, “Still Life, With Fries” by
Michael A. Pignatella. In this tale, a hungry traveler stops much too far off
the beaten path in order to satisfy his hunger. The food smells good, but he
soon discovers that he is less-than-pleased about how things end up being on
the menu.
Withersin is
edited by two very-talented women and sometimes, their choice in extreme horror
can be more terrifying for their female readers. A great example of this is the
short story “Movie Queen” by J.M. Harris. In this insanely bizarre journey into
terror, a woman is forced to face something far more horrific than her worst
nightmares could have conjured up.
Another
story that could be more disturbing for women is “Hermanesha”, written by
Richard Wright. In this unnerving tale, a woman is taken hostage and kept naked
by a man that brings “dysfunctional” up to a professional status. He, however,
is not a slice-them-across-the-throat-and-get-a-new-one serial killer. The man
considers this hostage his new girlfriend. She soon realizes that her only
means of escape is a delicate dance with his psychosis.
There
is not much one could complain about here if you enjoy horror and dipping into
the realms of the unexplained and supernatural. Perhaps the word count on their
stories could be a bit short, but with how much they pack into the magazine,
this makes sense and also lends itself to a faster-paced exploration into the
uncanny. Withersin is a model of what any horror magazine should be
striving for. It is holistic, diverse and very particular with what it allows
within its pages. Without a doubt, this is an enjoyable read and well worth the