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So I've picked up "Attack of the Two-Headed Poetry Monster" by Bram Stoker Award Finalist Michael McCarty and Bram Stoker Award-winning author Mark McLaughlin. This is a collection of over 80 dark and twisted poems that I would call a perfect combination of Tim Burton and Shel Silverstein, with dashes of Steven King and Lovecraft thrown in.

This is a 90-plus page softcover with an introduction by Rain Graves and afterword by Sandy DeLuca. There are themes such as "The Spiderweb Tree", that puts new spins on classic fairy tales that revolve around a tree filled with webs. There is also an entire section of what you may call the lighter side of Lovecraft. There are themes such as vampire sex, crop circles, and the pros and cons of pet exorcism that are better read than described. I especially liked the "Slimy Creatures from Outer Space" chapter that pokes fun at all things alien. All of this poetry ranges from humorous to twisted to downright macabre, and each one tells a tale. Here's an example.

PSYCHO WOMAN IN MY SHOWER

 by Michael McCarty

There's a psycho woman in my shower.
No, I'm not talking about
Janet Leigh.
It's my neighbor.

She came over to borrow some sugar -
the next thing I knew,
she stripped
and started taking a shower.

That was last week.

She's been showering
for so long,
her skin is
way beyond prunes

I don't mind being neighborly,
But now she's starting to scare me.

These poems are so beautifully twisted that you'll want to read them several times. Attack of the Two-Headed Poetry Monster goes down warm and smooth, like a Hot Toddy when you're under the weather. If you are a fan of dark poetry, then this is probably a book for you. If you're undecided and don't want to rush out and buy it, you should ask your local libraries to start carrying it as soon as possible. Michael McCarty and Mark McLaughlin are the horror writers to watch. I'm looking forward to checking out more of their work in the future.

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