If one were to believe the mainstream media in the past few weeks one would be getting ready to hide in the basement and never travel to Mexico again for fear of Swine Flu. This  outlandish fear prompted me to scour the internet for a while to see how prevalent this strain of influenza really is. I didn’t have to look for very long as the answer arrived at my feet via Twitter. I would like to thank @Veronica for pointing me in the right direction and answering the question “Should I be worried about Swine Flu?” with this website. It’s kind of funny to realize that I have a handful of habits that are probably more likely to get me killed compared to my risk of contracting and dying of Swine Flu, but this isn’t to say that the presence of something like swine flu is anything to sneeze at. Most of the problems related to this strain probably have their roots in the over use of antibiotics and the culture of fear that has prompted too many mothers to over protect their children from the smallest specks of dirt. I won’t be getting too worried until I see evidence of military cover ups, or 99% of the population dying of “tube neck” or “Captain Trips”. Though when that does happen I’ll be rereading Stephen King’s The Stand just to be on the safe side.

As of yet Joe Hill has not quite reached the prolific status of his father. Though with the current output of novels, short stories, comic books and who knows what else waiting in the shadows he is poised to approach such selling power very quickly.

Until that happens and mostly likely even afterward, those of us shopping online with small publishers such as Subterranean Press and PS Publishing will be in for a real treat.

Late in 2008 saw the release of Joe Hill’s latest novella Gunpowder from PS Publishing. This title is available in an extremely limited run. Both the Slip Cased and Jacketed hard cover editions already sold out, and the 500 copies of the regular hardcover are sure to go very fast.

I managed to get my order in on time for the basic hardcover edition, at a price of £12.00, plus shipping to Canada. The wait from ordering this 6 months in advance was excruciating, but Hill has made it more than worthwhile.

After devouring all 22,600 words of this novella in a single evening I could little else than stare amazed at the story laying in my lap. Not only was this one of the most beautifully produced books I’ve read, with astounding cover art by Vincent Chong, but it was one of the most engaging Science Fiction stories I’ve read in years. An unlikely cast of children with psychic power, and their regular human mother Elaine populate this stories small desolate planet so fitting nicknamed Gunpowder. These children, bred with the express purpose of terraforming the planet are maturing before their mother’s eyes, and developing exciting powers along with the understanding of the outside world only a child can acheive.

Hill makes every word count, setting each character perfectly in place to pull every heart string necessary to draw you so far into the story I had difficulty leaving. It is a real art to be able to so fully populate such a short story and have such a deep and engaging plot. I commend the abilities of Hill, and continually look forward everything and anything that he writes.

Until his next novel comes out later this year I’ll be reading and rereading Locke and Key: Head Games, available from IDW at your local Comic Shop. If that proves not to be enough I’ll be rereading Heart Shaped Box and 20th Century Ghosts, as well as the short story Thumbprint (available from Subterranean Press and as part of The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 19).

Check out Joe Hill at his website joehillfiction

As well you can find Vincent Chong, the master behind the amazing cover to Gunpowder here.

Here for viewing pleasure is the cover.