Where to start?

[Theli]

So I have yet to pick up any books from our resident author, Mr. Kelly, and I was wondering where the best place to start is. Or if you feel like chiming in yourself Ron, which book are you most proud of?

[Martin]

I do not claim to be an expert on Mr. Kelly's work, Squire can probably give a more complete answer but I think Hell Hollow would be a great start!

[cycloneed20]

I'd say the Ron Kelly Essentials collection from Thunderstorm books would be the place to start. I'm reading "Hindsight" right now. And, then I'll delve into the sequel "Restless Shadows soon after. Thunderstorm is pricey though.

[bookworm 1]

I always try and start with short stories when I find a new author. If they can tell a good story in a few pages their longer work is usually pretty good. I would recommend if you have an e reader to start with After the Burn a great collection also Midnight Grinding is a super collection. Bad Moon books also put out a collection of Ron's stories called Cumberland Furnace and other fear-forged fables. I believe some of thoes stories are in Midnight Grinding. Bad Moon still has paperback copies available of Cumberland and After the Burn. If you want a longer story My personal favorite is Timber Gray. I have the Essentials but have not started them. With the last 4 due this year I just might start them in May and read one a month for the rest of the year. Hope that helps.

[srboone]

Excellent recomendations, Tom! After the Burn is a great place to start. The first writing of Ron's I read was Midnight Grinding. It was the short story "Forever Angels" that made me a fan (that story is one of my favorite short stories as well)--everytime I reread it, it sends chills down my spine.

Hell Hollow is a lot of fun, very atmospheric. I've only read the first two essentials Undertaker's Moon and Fear. Both are very good as well.

Honestly, you could pick up any book by Ron and be amply rewarded. But After the Burn will show you the great heights Ron can achieve with his writing.

[Theli]

Cool, thanks for the opinions guys! Might go for After the Burn or Hell Hollow, if I can get my hands on them.

Actually I should scour my anthologies and back issues of CD to see if I have any of Ron Kelly short stories already in my collection.

[srboone]

"Forever Angels" is in #1 if you've got that issue! If you bought Turn down the Lights trade HC, Ron has "The Outhouse" in that anthology.

Here's a sample of Ron's work from his website:

http://www.ronaldkelly.com/sample-th...ytellers-work/

[Ronald Kelly]

Thanks for your comments, everyone. It's gratifying to know that folks enjoy (and know) my work well enough to make on-target suggestions to those who have yet spooned out a heaping helping of Southern-fried horror gumbo.

Theli, I'd suggest the following to get you aquainted with my fiction:

Novels: FEAR, HELL HOLLOW, UNDERTAKER'S MOON, BLOOD KIN
Short story collections: AFTER THE BURN, MIDNIGHT GRINDING (pre-1996), CUMBERLAND FURNACE (post-2006), THE SICK STUFF.

My personal favorites/ Novels: HINDSIGHT, FEAR, UNDERTAKER'S MOON
Favorite short stories: Flesh Welder, Midnight Grinding, Beneath Black Bayou, Tanglewood

[Theli]

Thanks for the response, Ron. And thanks for the tip, Squire, I unfortunately have neither.

[Ronald Kelly]

Theli, the following stories were published in Cemetery Dance Magazine: Forever Angels, Diary, The Cistern, The Winds Within, Romicide, and Exit 85. I can't tell you, off the top of my head, exactly what issues they appeared in.

[Dan Hocker]

Thanks for the response, Ron. And thanks for the tip, Squire, I unfortunately have neither.

We have Midnight Grinding as an eBook as well.

http://www.cemeterydance.com/page/CDP/PROD/e_kelly01

[Theli]

Thanks for the tip, but no e-reader for me, I love the physical format too much.

[Theli]

Theli, the following stories were published in Cemetery Dance Magazine: Forever Angels, Diary, The Cistern, The Winds Within, Romicide, and Exit 85. I can't tell you, off the top of my head, exactly what issues they appeared in.

Unfortunately I don't have many issues of the CD mag. I just checked and no Ronald Kelly stories

[Ben Staad]

FWIW I really enjoyed After The Burn.

[srboone]

It's worth a great deal! We need to keep the pressure on Theli to start in on Ron's works!

[Ben Staad]

Good point.

It's worth a great deal! We need to keep the pressure on Theli to start in on Ron's works!

[Ronald Kelly]

There are plenty of my old (real) books on eBay and Amazon... and Bad Moon has a few, too. Don't give up on me yet, Theli! Please, please....

[goathunter]

There is a (now out-of-date) list of Ron's short stories and where they originally appeared on his website. It doesn't list issue numbers, but does list the year for each listing.

Hunter

[Theli]

Ha ha! Ain't giving up at all. I fully plan to track down a couple books this next week. Looks like it's possible to track CD's copy of Hell Hollow for a reasonable price. Thanks again for all the replies!

[RJK1981]

Haven't read much of Ron's work yet, but absolutely loved Undertaker's Moon! Heard very good things about his work here on these forums, so even though I had never read anything of Ron's I spent the $65 (Plus whatever shipping was, which I don't recall) to get that one direct from Thunderstorm. If I'd had the money I definitely would have been buying all of Ron's Thunderstorm titles as their production quality is great. Once I have the money I plan to get more of them though. May have to go with eBook editions though, but we'll see