GhoStory Guru: “At the End of the Pier” by Len Maynard & Mick Sims

As you can imagine, I’ve read many excellent ghost stories; it’s always a pleasure when I discover a new one to add to my “favorites list.”

What makes a favorite? Technically, it’s got to have all the qualities of a well-written short story: character/conflict/crisis/change (or lack thereof); fine motiving; tactile atmosphere; elements which come to fruition, a few more. Emotionally? It’s got to pierce my marrow, obliterate reality, and leave me gasping, “Wow!”

Maynard & Sims’ “At the End of the Pier” does all that and more. To the subtle “Everyman” twist on Poe’s trigger theory exhibited in such tales as “The Tell-Tale Heart” to an atmosphere so well-crafted we can taste the sea spray, “At the End of the Pier” is perfection. Every ghost story lover should curl up with a cup of tea or a glass of wine in his favorite spot, take a time out from life, and enjoy.

“At the End of the Pier” appears in Maynard & Sims’ fine collection Echoes of Darkness, published by Sarob Press in 2000. Few copies are available, and they are mostly second-hand. However, if you have a Kindle (or Kindle for PC), you can purchase the entire collection here: http://amzn.com/B00506U3L0

MORE INFORMATION

To read an interview of Maynard & Sims written by Peter D. Schwotzer, visit here: http://famousmonstersoffilmland.com/2009/04/07/interview-lhmaynard-mpnsims/

To learn more about the Echoes of Darkness collection, visit here:

http://www.maynard-sims.com/contents/Echoes%20of%20Darkness.htm

About kristipetersenschoonover

A ghost story writer who still sleeps with the lights on, Kristi Petersen Schoonover’s fiction has appeared in many magazines and anthologies; her traditionally published books include a short story collection, THE SHADOWS BEHIND. She was the recipient of three Norman Mailer Writers Colony Residencies and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. She serves as co-host of the DARK DISCUSSIONS podcast, as founding editor of the dark literary journal 34 ORCHARD, and is a member of the New England Horror Writers. Follow her adventures at kristipetersenschoonover.com.

Posted on September 29, 2011, in GhoStory Guru and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

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