Shadow Show: All-New Stories in Celebration of Ray Bradbury (46 page)

ABOUT THE EDITORS

A two-time Bram Stoker Award finalist,
SAM WELLER
is the author of
The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury
and
Listen to the Echoes: The Ray Bradbury Interviews.
He has also written for
The Paris Review
, National Public Radio, and
Publishers Weekly
. His short fiction has been published in numerous journals and magazines.

Visit www.samweller.net

MORT CASTLE
is an author and writing teacher who has published more than five hundred short stories. Twice a winner of the Black Quill Award, seven times a Bram Stoker Award nominee, Castle edited On
Writing Horror
, the primary reference work for authors of dark fiction.

Visit www.mortwrites.freeservers.com

Visit
www.AuthorTracker.com
for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR
SHADOW SHOW: ALL-NEW STORIES IN CELEBRATION OF RAY BRADBURY

“There is no more fitting tribute to my friend Ray Bradbury than a compilation of wonderful short stories! Ray is a champion of libraries and one of America’s most inventive teller of tales. I cherish many happy times engrossed in his stories. This anthology reflects the high imagination, visionary ideas, and fantastic writing that Ray is loved and known for around the world.”

—Former public school teacher, librarian, and First Lady Laura Bush

“Great new tales of imagination in the Bradbury tradition.”

—Hugh Hefner, publisher and founder of Playboy Enterprises

“Ray Bradbury is without a doubt one of this or any century’s greatest and most imaginative writers.
Shadow Show,
a book of truly great stories, is the perfect tribute to America’s master storyteller.”

—Stan Lee, legendary comic book writer and former president and chairman of Marvel Comics

“
Shadow Show
is a treasure trove for Ray Bradbury enthusiasts as for all readers who are drawn to richly imaginative, deftly plotted, startlingly original and unsettling short fiction. No one who knows their darkly fantastic fiction would be surprised to see such renowned names here as Ramsey Campbell, Harlan Ellison, Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Audrey Niffenegger, and Kelly Link; but it is something of a surprise to see Dave Eggers, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Dan Chaon, Bonnie Jo Campbell, and Julia Keller in this gathering, all of them Ray Bradbury admirers, and all so gifted. The tributes to Ray Bradbury that follow each of the stories are particularly interesting, often heartwarming and inspiring.”

—
New York Times
bestselling author Joyce Carol Oates

ALSO BY THE EDITORS

By Sam Weller

The Bradbury Chronicles: The Life of Ray Bradbury

Listen to the Echoes: The Ray Bradbury Interviews

By Mort Castle

The Strangers

Cursed Be the Child

On Writing Horror
(editor)

Nations of the Living, Nations of the Dead

New Moon on the Water

Writing Historical Fiction
(nonfiction)

The Deadly Election

The Times We Had

READ MORE BY

RAY BRADBURY

FROM HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS

NOVELS

THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES

ISBN 978-0-207993-0 (paperback)

The masterfully imagined chronicles of Earth’s settlement of the fourth planet from the sun.

DANDELION WINE

ISBN 978-0-380-97726-0 (hardcover)

A deeply personal, well-loved fictional recollection of the sacred rituals of boyhood.

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES

ISBN 978-0-380-97727-7 (hardcover)

A masterpiece of dark fantasy from one of the most beloved authors of all time.

DEATH IS A LONELY BUSINESS

ISBN 978-0-380-78965-8 (paperback)

A stylish noir tale of murder and mayhem set in 1950s Venice, CA.

A GRAVEYARD FOR LUNATICS

Another Tale of Two Cities

ISBN 978-0-380-81200-4 (paperback)

A young scriptwriter spends a mysterious, magical Halloween in a Hollywood graveyard.

GREEN SHADOWS, WHITE WHALE

A Novel of Ray Bradbury’s Adventures Making
Moby Dick
with John Huston in Ireland

ISBN 978-0-380-78966-5 (paperback)

Bradbury’s tale of writing the screen adaptation of Melville’s
Moby-Dick.

FAREWELL SUMMER

A Novel

ISBN 978-0-06-113154-7 (hardcover)

Fifty years in the making, the sequel to Bradbury’s beloved classic
Dandelion Wine
.

STORY COLLECTIONS, ESSAYS,
AND
MORE

BRADBURY SPEAKS

Too Soon from the Cave, Too Far from the Stars

ISBN 978-0-06-058569-3 (paperback)

A collection of essays offering commentary on Bradbury’s greatest influences.

THE ILLUSTRATED MAN

ISBN 978-0-06-207997-8 (paperback)

Eighteen startling visions of humankind’s destiny in one phantasmagoric slideshow.

THE GOLDEN APPLES OF THE SUN

And Other Stories

ISBN 978-0-380-73039-1 (paperback)

Thirty-two of Bradbury’s most famous tales—prime examples of the poignant poetry of the human soul.

I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC!

And Other Stories

ISBN 978-0-380-78962-7 (paperback)

Twenty-eight classic Bradbury stories and one luscious poem.

BRADBURY STORIES

100 of His Most Celebrated Tales

ISBN 978-0-06-054488-1 (paperback)

Treasures from a lifetime of words and ideas—tales that amaze and enthrall.

THE CAT’S PAJAMAS

Stories

ISBN 978-0-06-077733-3 (paperback)

A walk through the six-decade career of this “latter-day O. Henry” (
Booklist
).

WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS

Stories

ISBN 978-0-06-167014-5 (paperback)

A treasure trove of Bradbury gems—eerie and strange, nostalgic and bittersweet, searching and speculative.

A PLEASURE TO BURN

Fahrenheit 451 Stories

ISBN 978-0-06-207102-6 (paperback)

A collection of sixteen vintage stories and novellas that informed
Fahrenheit 451
.

Available wherever books are sold, or call 1-800-331-3761 to order.

CREDITS

Cover design by James Iacobelli

Cover illustration © by Tom Gauld

“Introduction” by Sam Weller and Mort Castle. Copyright © 2012 by Sam Weller and Mort Castle.

“A Second Homecoming” by Ray Bradbury. Copyright © 2012 by Ray Bradbury.

“The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury” and “About ‘The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury’ ” by Neil Gaiman. Copyright © 2012 by Neil Gaiman.

“Headlife” and “About ‘Headlife’ ” by Margaret Atwood. Copyright © 2012 by O.W. Toad Ltd.

“Heavy” and “About ‘Heavy’ ” by Jay Bonansinga. Copyright © 2012 by Jay Bonansinga.

“The Girl in the Funeral Parlor” and “About ‘The Girl in the Funeral Parlor’ ” by Sam Weller. Copyright © 2012 by Sam Weller.

“The Companions” and “About ‘The Companions’ ” by David Morrell. Copyright © 2012 by David Morrell.

“The Exchange” and “About ‘The Exchange’ ” by Thomas F. Monteleone. Copyright © 2012 by Thomas F. Monteleone.

“Cat on a Bad Couch” and “About ‘Cat on a Bad Couch’ ” by Lee Martin. Copyright © 2012 by Lee Martin.

“By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain” and “About ‘By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain’ ” by Joe Hill. Copyright © 2012 by Joe Hill.

“Little America” and “About ‘Little America’ ” by Dan Chaon. Copyright © 2012 by Dan Chaon.

“The Phone Call” and “About ‘The Phone Call’ ” by John McNally. Copyright © 2012 by John McNally.

“Young Pilgrims” and “About ‘Young Pilgrims’ ” by Joe Meno. Copyright © 2012 by Joe Meno.

“Children of the Bedtime Machine” and “About ‘Children of the Bedtime Machine’ ” by Robert McCammon. Copyright © 2012 by Robert McCammon.

“The Page” and “About ‘The Page’ ” by Ramsey Campbell. Copyright © 2012 by Ramsey Campbell.

“Light” and “About ‘Light’ ” by Mort Castle. Copyright © 2012 by Mort Castle.

“Conjure” and “About ‘Conjure’ ” by Alice Hoffman. Copyright © 2012 by Alice Hoffman.

“Max” and “About ‘Max’ ” by John Maclay. Copyright © 2012 by John Maclay.

“Two of a Kind” and “About ‘Two of a Kind’ ” by Jacquelyn Mitchard. Copyright © 2012 by Jacquelyn Mitchard.

“Fat Man and Little Boy” and “About ‘Fat Man and Little Boy’ ” by Gary Braunbeck. Copyright © 2012 by Gary Braunbeck.

“The Tattoo” and “About ‘The Tattoo’ ” by Bonnie Jo Campbell. Copyright © 2012 by Bonnie Jo Campbell.

“Backward in Seville” and “About ‘Backward in Seville’ ” by Audrey Niffenegger. Copyright © 2012 by Audrey Niffenegger.

“Earth: (A Gift Shop)” and “About ‘Earth: (A Gift Shop)’ ” by Charles Yu. Copyright © 2012 by Charles Yu.

“Hayleigh’s Dad” and “About ‘Hayleigh’s Dad’ ” by Julia Keller. Copyright © 2012 by Julia Keller.

“Who Knocks?” and “About ‘Who Knocks?’ ” by Dave Eggers. Copyright © 2012 by Dave Eggers. (A different and untitled version of Dave Eggers’s story appeared on the National Public Radio program
This American Life
in 2011.)

“Reservation 2020” and “About ‘Reservation 2020’ ” by Bayo Ojikutu. Copyright © 2012 by Bayo Ojikutu.

“Two Houses” and “About ‘Two Houses’ ” by Kelly Link. Copyright © 2012 by Kelly Link.

Harlan Ellison® is a registered trademark.

Nirvana
, the image accompanying “Weariness” by Harlan Ellison®, copyright © 2005 and 2012 by the artist Hubert J. Daniel.

“Weariness” and “About ‘Weariness’ ” by Harlan Ellison®. Copyright © 2012 by the Kilimanjaro Corp.

COPYRIGHT

This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

SHADOW SHOW.
Copyright © 2012 by Sam Weller and Mort Castle. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

FIRST EDITION

ISBN 978-0-06-2122681

Epub Edition © JULY 2012 ISBN: 9780062122698

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