To begin a Wally Runnels story is to step into a world that is fully realized, one where the desert, the heat, weirdness and violence not only exist, but thrive. We are trespassers in this strange land, but Runnels is our guide – he takes us to very distant and dark places, far from our homes, then sees that we return safely, though not unchanged.

I have read a lot of horror, and many, many stories that deal with a man visiting the home of a witch. Runnels’ one-armed hit man Rocky (a wonderful character), has such an encounter with a curandera in a story entitled “Mother’s Nature.” It is a tale that is compelling, rich with detail, and full of menace and dread – and genuine horror.

I urge you to read this story, then look for Runnels’ other tales of Rocky and his murderous exploits and constant search for the spirit of a lost love. But leave more than one light on, because bulbs… well, they can burn out, can’t they? And you don’t want to be lost in Rocky’s world in the dark.