Black Buttons Vol. 3: A Family Affair

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The Midwest. People of the earth, who roll up their sleeves and do what need's doing. They deliver an honest day's work for an honest day's pay, give gratitude for the simple things, and are humble because the taller you think you are, well, the farther you have to fall on your face.

Not a bad place to raise a family, right?

Dig a little deeper, because all is not right where the bible belt buckles. In Black Buttons, Vol.3: A Family Affair, a kith and kin of creepy tales immerse you in blood ties that spellbind.

• “The Culling” brings siblings together to roost one last time around Mama. Birds of a feather…
• “Toujours Nicole” bakes a pastry tale of passion lost.
• “Bald Island, Goat Island” shares the duality of life and death, of reality and memory, of childhood horror and lakeside property.
• “Night at the Huggy Bear” takes us on a honeymoon trip where two young newlyweds discover how love never leaves. Ever.
• “The Chosen Ones” preps a family for the apocalypse, by going on a Branson, MO Vacation.
• “Getting the Last Word” exposes how bad mom and dad really get along.
• “Juniper Gesso” tries to fix a dying marriage. Some things can’t be whitewashed. Or can they?
• “Limbo Freezes Over” proves that in the place between heaven and hell, there’s a job that must be done.
• “Learning to Cook” cooks up a young man’s ascent from his father’s disappointment. Problem is, just desserts aren’t always sweet.
• “Mind Over Matter” reminds us that Alzheimer’s can make loved ones forget important days. Terribly, horribly important days.
• “A Life Connected” discovers sisterhood and motherhood don’t hunger for the same ends.
• “Front Porch Optimist” finds the silver lining in an almost-drowning.
• “The Troll Wrestler” grapples with the fraternity of the ring, and fights those who troll chosen brethren.
• “Odds & Ends” shows how Grandpa’s love can fix everything but age and death. Not that he won’t try.

It’s horror, relatively speaking. Welcome to the family.