First published 2015
Two vampires find themselves trapped in a blazing lemon orchard, desperately trying to satisfy their blood thirst under the merciless sun. Their struggle becomes a stark meditation on addiction, desire, terror, and deadly love. Seven additional tales follow, each featuring remarkable characters caught in surreal circumstances. A lovesick teenager discovers the universe speaks to him through mysterious objects left in a seagull's nest. A group of women gradually transform into human silkworms, spinning delicate threads from their own bodies. A massage therapist uncovers her healing abilities by manipulating tattoos on a war veteran's chest. The collection concludes with a pioneer family's ordeal in the American West and a dark tale of guilt seeking redemption. Russell crafts eight stories where ordinary people confront extraordinary transformations, revealing the thin boundaries between human nature and something far stranger.
Genres: short-stories, literary-fiction, fantasy, horror, magical-realism
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: supernatural, surreal
Setting: Lemon Orchard
Period: 21st-Century
280 pages · Paperback · Planeta Publishing
Content warnings: addiction, body-horror, violence