Sycorax’s Daughters gives Black Women in Horror a Voice
review by James Goodridge
Sycorax’s Daughters is an anthology displaying the deep creative minds of a group of know and recent to the genre women writers of color. Wonderfully written and crafted, this anthology is a new classic. A mixed bag of poetry and short stories, these woman writers present a gift to us, the reader of tales of things that go bump in the night or rise up from a mist in the bayou during witching hour. Women Griots of darkness they are.
I once wrote that the black experience in horror is a duel track in that we as a people enjoy the genre in all of it’s forms but also from a historical view suffered it. This anthology enforces my view. It also bridges the work and legacy of Jewelle Gomez, Tananarive Due and the immortal L.A. Banks.
Edited by award wining author Linda D Addison, Kinitra Brooks PhD, and Suanna Morris PhD with added editing by Wei Ming Dariotis PhD. Forward by Walidah Imarisha and introduction by Ms. Brooks.
“Red Scorpion” by Deborah Elizabeth Whaley is a poem with ancient mystical tones to it I enjoyed.
“Taste the Taint: A Cursed Story” by Kai Leakes is about the corporate world of demons, vampires, and vampire succubus and a guide to sell your soul and set up your friends.
“How to Speak to the Bogeyman” by Carole Mc Donnell is unique in it’s of the sub genre, Christian horror. A dynamic short about a young man [Kayvon] who receives a call from his friend in hell that sets him on a path fighting evil. Ms. Mc Donnell strikes a balance of a cautionary tale without being preachy.
A personal favorite of mine is an excerpt from Valjeanne Jeffer’s Mona Livelong paranormal detective series.
The story by Vocab titled “Dyer Died in Silence” is based on a horrific serial killer of 1890’s London who out did good old Jack the Ripper. It’s chilling.
The contributors of this cornucopia of terror and horror are: Sheree Reee Thomas,A.J. Locke,Cherene Sherrard,Regina N. Bradley,Tracey Baptiste,Deborah Elizabeth Whaley, Rashell R. Smith Spears,Vocab,Carole Mc Donnell, Tenea D. Johnson,Crystal Connor, Amber Doe, Kai Leakes, Tisch Jackson, Nicole D. Sconiers,Zin E. Rocklyn, Tiffany Austin, Dana Mc Knight, Tanesha Nicole Tyler, Valjeanne Jeffers, Kiini Ibura Salaam, L. Marie Wood, Deana Zhollis, Nicole Givens Kurtz, K. Ceres Wright, Lori Titus, Joy Copeland, Eden Royce, Patricia E. Canterbury, LH Moore,L Penelope, AD Koboah and R.J. Joseph. In the end Love Supreme to this work. Artwork by Jim Callahan and Rebecca Sims. Published by Cedar Grove Publishing.
Born and raised in the Bronx, James is new to writing speculative fiction. After ten years as an artist representative and paralegal James decided in 2013 to make a better commitment to writing.Currently, he is writing a series of short “Twilight Zone” inspired stories from the world of art, (The Artwork) and a diesel/punkfunk saga (Madison Cavendish/Seneca Sue Mystic Detectives) with the goal of producing compelling stories
HorrorAddicts.net 
Thank you so much for your kind review. Usually folks get very stressed or nasty about Christian fiction but you were so respectful. I really appreciate that. Thanks so much.
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A belated thank you so much for liking the review.
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