A Hat Full of Stories

Three Weird West Tales

By: Steve Vernon

Narrated by: Richard Peterson

Length: 1 hr and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

This isn't John Wayne. Lone Star is just a beer. Forget about the Alamo. Here are a trio of Texas tales of terror spun from the fevered brain of a nightmare-riding cowboy.

Let me tell you about the three tales.

Have you wondered what sort of a cargo is in those big 18-wheeler rigs that prowl the midnight highways? In "North of Bigfoot, Bound for Memphis" I answer that wonder with a what-if that will leave you wishing you hadn't asked.

Have you ever stepped in bubblegum? Ever stuck your fingers together with Krazy Glue? Ever stepped in sheep dip and tried to shake the stink off? Stick your nose in the pages of "Jumping Chollo Will Not Die" and find out what funk really is.

If you have any brain cells left after subjecting yourself to those first two yarns then wrap your brain around the Frankenstein-influenced tale "Two Good Hands and a Hold-Out".

The eyes of Texas have never looked so bloodshot.

©2015 Steve Vernon (P)2017 Stark Raven Press

Three good, weird ones!

Steve Vernon is always good for a short story; always a juicy idea, always well-written. These are a good mix of western and weird. Grab it!

Is it a ten gallon hatful?

My only complaint is tha tthis really isn't a whole "hatful" of tales. There are 3 stories here, but having just come off his Detours and Do-Overs book this just wasn't enough to fill up my need for Vernon tales. That being said, these are 3 top notch tales that are set in the Wild and weird west.

You get a few surprises along the way, such as Judas. Yeah, THAT guy. Oh, and I'm not real big on spanish, as I tiook latin in high school, so I had to look up what a Chollo was. Ain't learning fun? After listening to the book I think I have a better idea now more than ever.

Here's the thing. Steve Vernon is a versitile writer. He can do stupid funny and then flip into black as blood horror. The man has a particular set of skills. Skills that he has acquired over a long career. Skills that let him write nightmares for people like us. He doesn't have to pursue you. You know on an instinctual level that you are going to have to get this book, and then all of his other ones to satisfy your need for well written and deftly crafted stories. Why fight it? This book puts out some of the best short stories that have been put to paper, and then read aloud by a professional.

Speaking of the professional, Peterson just rocks this set of shorts. His narration style suits the stories, and adds levels of creepiness and chills that few readers can provide. Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and in fact, inspired me to be more honest. In fact, getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.

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