Since discovering Christine E. Ray’s work in 2016, it has been clear that Ray’s objective within the writing community goes beyond simply sharing her work with others. Ray is a brilliant fosterer of talent as shown in her contributions and dedications to several collectives and in the establishment of Indie Blu(e) Publishing. There is a tacit understanding in everything Ray does that it is as much for her as it is for the voices she wishes to amplify. And while many recent anthologies have achieved this, Darker Objects is the perfect demonstration of Ray’s passion for the written word and for other writers. This is a unique collaboration and celebration of Ray’s ability to bring people together.
The poetry in Darker Objects has a vast thematic scope, and yet the editing, curation and inclusion of individual pieces by Ray, means that no voice is lost, every contributor stands firmly in their style. This is because Ray’s own style, while consistently honed, is so wonderfully hers – constrained in structure but rich in imagery – and because of this every other voice is allowed to remain true to itself. At no point in the extended collaborative pieces does it seem as if structure, idea, or imagery have been forced upon the writers; instead these pieces flourish with originality and individuality, while still singing together.
Darker Objects is a sincere memento to Ray’s impact upon the people she has worked with over the years. It is a reminder that Ray is a pleasure to write alongside. That Ray is a force within the writing community; a force for creativity and togetherness. It is a reminder that Ray has spent years nurturing the written word, whether from her pen or from others, and that is a gift we should all be grateful for.
Darker Objects is available for purchase through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Kobo, and other major online book retailers.
Kristiana Reed (she/her) is a bisexual writer and the Editor in Chief for Free Verse Revolution, a literary & arts magazine. Reed often explores the body, illness, addiction recovery and womanhood through the natural world and written portraiture.
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