Andy Duncan's Beluthahatchie

I had read several of these stories before going to Clarion last year, where Andy was an instructor. I recently read some of the stories I hadn't covered before and re-read others because they're so good.

"The Map to the Homes of the Stars" is probably my favorite Duncan story. In it, Jack lives by himself in the same town that he and his best friend Tom were dying to get out of as teenagers. Both Jack and Tom hungered (lusted is probably more accurate) after nearly every girl in town, but many they considered out of their league for several reasons, some of which were imposed upon them by the small thinking of the townspeople. After Tom and a girl do escape, Jack is haunted with their ghosts and the ghosts of what might have been in his own life.

The story succeeds on so many levels; it's a great story in its own right and contains many laugh out loud scenes that all teenage boys (and maybe some girls) can relate to. But on a deeper level, it's a chilling horror story that haunts deeply. The opportunities we had and didn't take. For some, that's terrifying to consider.

I absolutely loved "Liza and the Crazy Water Man" and can't wait to read it again. Andy not only knows how to capture wonderfully wacky Southern characters, he also knows his history, and in this case, his music history. "Liza" contains such great writing that even though you wonder for awhile where the speculative element lies (It is there), it's such a joy to read, you don't care about anything else.

"Fortitude" is, I believe, a masterwork. General George S. Patton sees himself placed in battles and situations he's already experienced. Like "The Map," "Fortitude" is a haunting story, but haunting in a different way. In one extraordinary scene, Patton lies wounded in a foxhole carrying on a conversation with a soldier and the ghost of his father. I don't know how Andy pulls this off – maybe I'll study it one day – but the scene (like the entire story) is extraordinary.

Now Playing = Young Americans – David Bowie