Livia Llewellyn is a criminally under-rated writer of horror and dark fantasy. Her stories are about as bleak and uncompromising as any I’ve read, the characters fully formed, conflicted, beautifully flawed. I read “Horses” in manuscript form years ago and was amazed by its equal portion of compassion and brutality. The end is devastating, and masterfully earned. I am looking forward to this book perhaps more than any other this year. (Except yours, of course. But you know that.)

She also happens to be one of the wittiest bloggers in our little community. She always makes me laugh. If her blog is not one of your regular stops, it should be. Can you tell I have a crush here? No? Good. I like to keep my cards close to the vest.

Laird Barron provides the introduction. As if you needed another reason. Go do the right thing.