Orphans of Bliss

Swarms of human moths fluttering to the flames of hell, such is the nature of addiction, because that warm blanket of a heroin high, that joyful intoxication from a pint of vodka, the electric energy from a line of cocaine, over time leaves you with a cold loneliness and a bitter heart. Relationships are destroyed, bodies deteriorate, yet the craving continues for that which is killing you-living, as the title suggests, like an Orphan of Bliss. Welcome to the third and final fix of addiction horror. The series that began with Garden of Fiends and followed Lullabies for Suffering can be read in any order. You can start here, you can end here, but Orphans of Bliss is certainly the biggest one yet. A more expansive and diverse table of contents brought together for an explosive grand finale, an unflinching look at the insidious nature of addiction, told with searing honesty but compassion for those who suffer. Settings range from dystopian worlds to deep space, from urban barstools to rural woods, told by an incredible list of talent.The table of contents includes two New York Times Best-Selling writers; SA Cosby, author of Blacktop Wasteland, and Josh Malerman, author of Bird-Box. It also features USA Today Best-Selling writer Cassandra Khaw and a host of other Bram Stoker award-winning writers such as Kathe Koja and Kealan Patrick Burke. Orphans of Bliss is the follow up to the Shirley Jackson Award Finalist, Lullabies for Suffering. Mark Matthews, the editor for all three anthologies, is in recovery from his own addiction, has a Master's Degree in Counseling, and now works in the field of behavioral health.