Seldom Seen in August, by Kealan Patrick Burke

I've said some of these things before. Such as how Keith Minnion is doing beautiful, important work with his White Noise Press. How his chapbooks are the most stunning of any I've ever seen. And how he could probably get away with charging twice what he does and still get away with it.

I've also said that Kealan Patrick Burke is one of the most talented writers in the genre. I've wondered aloud about how long it'll take the rest of the world to become aware of it.

I'm happy to say that both Kealan and White Noise Press have outdone themselves with Seldom Seen in August. The artwork, design and construction of this chapbook alone is enough to warrant the mere ten bucks it costs. But then there's the story.

I've been a fan of Burke's writing for quite a few years. I met him at The Shocklines Message Board and before I even read his fiction I knew he was a very cool guy. After all, he was editing an anthology tribute to the great Charles L. Grant. Then I read his first collection, Ravenous Ghosts and I was sold.

It's been fun and rewarding to watch Kealan grow as a writer. To my way of thinking, he has had several milestones: Underneath, a short story reminiscent of Ed Gorman; The Turtle Boy, a surreal dark fantasy novella, Midlisters, an acidly satirical nod to struggling writers. And now we have Seldom Seen in August.

Those that think they know Kealan's work are going to be surprised at this one. More so than that, I think they'll be shocked. For I believe this to be his strongest, most terrifying and disturbing piece of fiction to date.

Seldom Seen in August is a complicated tale that can't be easily pigeonholed into a single genre. It's a crime-suspense story wrapped around a mindfuck that Philip K. Dick would be proud of. It's a mortality play with a devastating climax. It's a little bit science fiction and a whole lot of scary. Seldom Seen in August starts out with a typical plot, but gradually mutates and works its way under the reader's skin and into a painful place in the gut.

I'm a collector of White Noise chapbooks and I consider Keith Minnion to be not only a talented illustrator and book designer, but to have impeccable taste in fiction. His editorial policies with White Noise are the equal of the best in the business, like Cemetery Dance and Borderlands Press.

If you're reading this and other book reviews at this site, then you are probably a fan of horror fiction. As such, you all should be collectors of White Noise Publications. But I know that money is tight for a lot of you. It is for me too. But if you can make an exception for one chapbook this year, I suggest that it be Seldom Seen in August.