Neil Gaiman has a new short story coming out in the new year, and as denizens of the internet, we are intrigued and excited by the title alone. Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances will include some of Gaiman’s previously published work alongside a new story from the world of American Gods called Black Dog. There will also be a thematic sibling to his recent hit The Ocean at the End of the Lane and a story he wrote for the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who. It hits the shelves (both virtual and not) on February 3rd.
Readers know that a trigger warning, in internet vernacular, refers to an image, idea, or words that may “trigger” an intense reaction on the part of the person consuming the media, and Gaiman himself is not unfamiliar with the idea, as he has been a regular contributor in online communities for years. An exclusive excerpt of his introduction to the book was released through USA Today, and it is fantastic. Here’s a taste:
“There are things that upset us. That’s not quite what we’re talking about here, though. I’m thinking about those images or words or ideas that drop like trapdoors beneath us, throwing us out of our safe, sane world into a place much more dark and less welcoming. Our hearts skip a ratatat drumbeat in our chests, and we fight for breath. Blood retreats from our faces and our fingers, leaving us pale and gasping and shocked.”
For the rest, you’ll have to click over (exclusivity and all), but this alone gives you a glimpse of the reverence and respect that Gaiman continues to treat sensitive topics with through his writing. And we all know that he is capable of scaring the bejezus out of us when he wants to after monsters who infiltrate a home disguised as simple nannies and monsters that physically consume the energy of a TARDIS. We’re pretty pumped to see what he comes up with that will fulfill trigger warning standards as set by the online community we all know and love (most of the time).
Will you be lining up for your copy of Trigger Warning come February? Have it on automatic download? Tell us in the comments below if you’re ready for the goosebumps it may give you.
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HT USA Today
