I always enjoy writing “standalone” Black Lands stories — that is, stories that don’t include any of my series regulars like Felix Renn or Jerry Baldwin. 

I can’t say too much about this one without blowing the ending, so all I’ll say is that I wanted to revisit an element I’d explored in another Black Lands story, and I had a lot of fun doing it. I also think I turned that element on its head a bit in a particularly ghoulish way, and that was a lot of fun, too! 

How’s that for vague? 

Enjoy! 

“…an effective horror story. Case worker Veronica knows she shouldn’t get attached to the children she deals with, but Susan seems to be an excep­tion. Veronica soon finds out just how exceptional the child is, and her own specialness is revealed.” 

— Paula Guran, Locus Magazine