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Hot Wind, Boiling Rain

Scary Stories for Strong Hearts

Inspired by science fiction, film noir, and especially horror movies, master storyteller Lyn Ford offers a collection of folk- and fairy-tale adaptations unlike any other in Hot Wind, Boiling Rain. Some tales, with princes and princesses or wolves and red hoods, will be instantly recognizable, while others, starring CEOs in penthouse suites, vampires, serial killers, or slaves caught in the turmoil of the Civil War, will require more imagination. Fortunately, Ford is all about sharing, and each short story is accompanied by the original model, or “seed story,” be it a Grimm or Perrault classic or “silly spookers” and urban legends passed down orally from generation to generation.

Ranging from the darkly humorous “If the Shoe Fits (or Sinful Ella)” to the chillingly solemn “Sugar,” Hot Wind, Boiling Rain employs a variety of styles, including newspaper article-like reporting and combination stories like “By Another Name,” which features both Rumplestiltskin and Snow White. Ending with a series of creative writing exercises and games for aspiring storytellers, Ford provides a variety of starting points for individual or group use, appropriate in the classroom, around the campfire, or under the covers with a flashlight on a dark and stormy night.

Reviewed by Pallas Gates McCorquodale

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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