Mary cautiously approached the bench that had been her destination. For a moment her body seemed to shrink inwards, and timidly she glanced left, then right and over both shoulders as she searched past the children for the white-haired man—the Evil Wizard as she thought of him. That she didn’t see him caused a tear of joy to worm its way down her waxen cheek. She carefully lowered herself onto the bench, her lips still pulled into an idiotic half-smile.It's a real honor to have Mr. Zeltserman in BTAP this week. His style of writing has been compared to James Ellroy, Jim Thompson and Dasheill Hammett to name a few, and his recent novels KILLER and PARIAH have been bestsellers enthusiastically endorsed by The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Locust, etc. From Kirkus Reviews: “Harrowing. Zeltserman colors it black with the best of them." Publisher’s Weekly (in reviewing KILLER) succinctly sums up my own personal take on the lure to Mr. Zeltserman’s work, "Spare prose and assured pacing place this above most other contemporary noirs."
And that brings us to this week’s story. What you are about to read, concerning a bird lady, is equal parts fantasy and horror interwoven with gripping realism. Not a word is wasted as this chilling story builds to a final scene that will linger with you. While many of us pass by these folks everyday without a second thought, Mr. Zeltserman took the time to stop, imagine, and create an unforgettable tale.
Once again, it's a real pleasure to say Dave Zeltserman is in BEAT to a PULP with "King." Please stop over and leave a comment.
Next: Jack Getze's "Tool of the Trade"
Then: "The Little Boy Inside" by Glenn Gray
In August: BEAT to a PULP: Round One print anthology featuring Ed Gorman, Robert J. Randisi, Sophie Litttlefield, James Reasoner, Charles Ardai, Frank Bill and many others. Edited by Elaine Ash and yours truly.