A Tale in Four Parts

The Hiker's Tale by Mike Allen, first published in Cabinet des Fées 2, is the beginning of a series of stories about an unnamed young man of Melungeon heritage who goes by his Appalachian Trail name, Panther. The second story in the series, Follow the Wounded One, is being published this month as a standalone chapbook by Not One of Us.

Papaveria Press is pleased to offer The Hiker's Tale, serialized in four parts here on the site. We debut on 9 June, with the rest to follow on 16 June, 23 June and ending on 30 June. We hope you enjoy this first online edition presented by Papaveria Press. Without further ado, we bring you...

The Hiker's Tale: Part 1
The Hiker's Tale: Part 2
The Hiker's Tale: Part 3
The Hiker's Tale: Part 4

Mike Allen's latest poetry collection, The Journey to Kailash, has just come out in hardcover and trade paperback editions from Norilana Books. Former North Carolina Poet Laureate Fred Chappell calls the book "fun and mind-games" and The Philadelphia Inquirer calls Mike's writing "poetry for goths of all ages." Mike also edits the poetry journal Mythic Delirium, and the fiction anthology Clockwork Phoenix, which Publishers Weekly says is filled with "a strong and delicious taste of weird."