There is perhaps one significant attribute that I’ve learned about myself over the past six years as a writer: there are multiple voices inside of my head and I never know which one is going to speak when I sit down with an empty page in front of me.
The stories in Sixteen Small Deaths span a wide range of voices, from the horror of “Saffron,” the emotional tinges of “December,” to the neo-noir of “Midnight Souls.” I believe this reflects the artistic nature of the modern writer and the poignant avenues that live deep within our souls. Or, as I’ve sometimes explained: I’ve been influenced from a multitude of sources, including Will Christopher Baer, “The Twilight Zone,” Chuck Palahniuk, Craig Clevenger, Stephen King, “Tales from the Darkside,” old-school zombie movies, and slasher flicks. I guess that when all is said and done, all of these influences have some representation in my work.
So, Reader, I hope you’ve enjoyed this collection. These stories are part of my muscle fiber, part of the gray web covering my brain. Some of these stories were written before I really knew what I was doing, and others were penned years after I finally found my voice as a writer. Some are fantastic reinforcements of the neo-noir genre, while others straddle the line between literary and genre fiction.
Readers, thanks for your time. I hope I’ve entertained you.
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This collection wouldn’t be possible without the tireless love, support and devotion of several key people in my life. First and foremost, I’d like to thank my beautiful wife, Sarah, for being my foundation and believing in me all of these years. I love you and couldn’t be more thankful for your support. (Thanks and hugs go to my furry children, as well: Cody, Gracie, Phineas, Harper and Atticus.)
A significant chunk of thanks goes to Phil Jourdan, founder of Perfect Edge Books. Phil, thanks for believing in this collection, and thanks for all of your hard work in seeing this thing through.
A round of thanks to my family and friends: Babbo, Angela, Baby Nicky and Lisa (as well as the Gucciardi, Towne and Jacobs families). Extra special thanks to Dr. Ryan Fielding, who was often the first reader for many of these stories and provided invaluable feedback where it was needed.
To my fellow writers, thanks for being who you are: Axel Taiari, Richard Thomas, Nik Korpon, Craig Wallwork, Gordon Highland, Pablo d’Stair, Mark Grover, Andrez Bergen, Jesse Lawrence, Pela Via, Caleb Ross, Anthony Jacques, Michael Gonzalez, Jason Heim, Max Gladstone, Chris Deal, Colin McKay Miller, Craig Clevenger, Stephen Graham Jones, Will Christopher Baer, Chuck Palahniuk, Donald Ray Pollock, Drew McCoy, Edward Rathke, Gabrielle Faust, Max Barry, Chelsea Cain, Monica Drake, Nicholas Karpuk, Paul Eckert, Sean P. Ferguson, everyone at The Velvet and Write Club, as well as the fellas at Booked Podcast (Livius and Robb).
Thanks,
Christopher J. Dwyer
January 2013