31 horrors (part 2)

Surpassed 31.

A lot of Bloch because I was mainly working my way through (the new Valancourt Books reissue of ) THE OPENER OF THE WAY, with random choices tossed in.

"Tighter" by Christa Faust

"The Way Station" by Nathan Ballingrud

"The Faceless God" by Robert Bloch

"Remnants" by Tim Lebbon

"House of the Hatchet" by Robert Bloch

"The Opener of the Way" by Robert Bloch

"Return to the Sabbath" by Robert Bloch

"One Way to Mars" by Robert Bloch

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson

"Lilies" by  Iain Rowan

"The Body Snatcher" by Robert Louis Stevenson

"Waxworks" by Robert Bloch

"The Mandarin's Canaries" by Robert Bloch

"The Feast in the Abbey" by Robert Bloch

"Slave of the Flames" by Robert Bloch

"The Shambler from the Stars" by Robert Bloch

"Mother of Serpents" by Robert Bloch

"The Secret of Sebek" by Robert Bloch 

"The Eyes of Mummy" by Robert Bloch

"Polyphemus" by Michael Shea

31 horrors (part 1)

I am trying to read 31 horror short stories in this month of October.

Half way report.

"The Cloak" by Robert Bloch

"Beetles" by Robert Bloch

"The Fiddler's Fee" by Robert Bloch

"You Go Where It Takes You" by Nathan Ballingrud

"The Mannikin" by Robert Bloch

"The Strange Flight of Richard Clayton" by Robert Bloch

"Wild Acre" by Nathan Ballingrud

"Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper" by Robert Bloch

"Hurst of Hurstcote" by Edith Nesbit

"Plague Pit" by Charles R. Rutledge

"The Seal of the Satyr" by Robert Bloch

"The Dark Demon" by Robert Bloch

"North American Lake Monsters" by Nathan Ballingrud

"The Crevasse" by Nathan Ballingrud & Dale Bailey

"Sunbleached" by Nathan Ballingrud

"The Case of Lady Sannox" by Arthur Conan Doyle 

THE FOG

I watched THE FOG this weekend (the original - which surprises me to note. I'd forgotten there was a remake.) I had seen it once before, ages ago.

Then, I watched it again with Carpenter (and Debra Hill's) commentary track. (blu ray)

Fun movie! It reminded me how much fun a Carpenter movie can be. Easter egg references to "Whately Point" and "Arkham Reef." (though, this is a ghost story, not Lovecraftian.) SHOUT! Factory were in the middle of a Carpenter birthday sale, coincidentally. I bought a handful.

On my writer's bucket list, some day I'd like to write a horror/scifi. Put THE THING ("Who Goes There?",) Quatermass, "The Colour Out of Space," and a host of other tales through my personal mental blender and see what comes out.

coming soon ... HEROES AMONG SHADOWS!

 Cover reveal!

COMING SOON! 

HEROES AMONG SHADOWS, a collection of adventure tales. This collection gathers my published-to-date action/adventure/fantasy/dark-fantasy tales--with a couple of bonus stories appearing here for the first time.

These stories will take you to tropical islands where spears and sorcery stand against gods and demons. You will meet a girl and her troll. Journey to a shadowy past where a veteran of the American Revolutionary War confronts dark forces. Travel to strange planets far away, and experience war in a North American timeline that never was.

Jeffrey Hayes of Plasmafire Graphics knocked this cover out of the park!

Welcome to the dawn of Frizzen Flash Press--where flint strikes steel and creative sparks fly!

Brian Lumley has journeyed to the Dreamlands

It was announced on January 28th that horror writer Brian Lumley passed away in early January 2024.

Ironically, I have not read any of his most famous series, NECROSCOPE. I have read many of his Cthulhu Mythos tales. I especially enjoy the Titus Crow series.

In recent years, I discovered his tales of David Hero & Eldin, which are set in Lovecraft's Dreamlands but are far more fantasy/sword-&-sorcery than horror.

via brainlumley.com

International Best Selling Author Brian Lumley sadly passed away at his home this January. He was the winner of many prestigious awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Horror Writer’s Association in 2010. Famous for his groundbreaking Necroscope® series, he went on to become one of the top writers in the Horror field. Although Brian had crossed genres between Horror, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy, Brian had many other series under his belt such as: The Primal Lands, Hero of Dreams, Psychomech, Titus Crow, etc. And of course, all the Mythos stories with his own twist.

After a 22-year stint as a Royal Military Policeman, he had a long and prosperous lifetime of doing what he loved to do, bringing continued enjoyment to all his readers and listeners. Brian has written approximately 60 books along with many, many short stories, and novellas.

He left behind a very large catalog. I still have much to explore.

R.I.P.

CONTACT 2: BLOOD & STEEL available now

 The Kindle edition of CONTACT 2: BLOOD & STEEL went live today. Hoping print soon follows.

My story, "Misery Hill," is historical, set during the end days of the Spanish-American war.

recent read; BLACK HONEY by Steve Van Samson

 

BLACK HONEY (And Other Unsavory Things) is a powerhouse eclectic collection of chilling tales. Touches of Hammer films, modern horror, wry humor, and twisted slices of everyday life can be experienced in this honeycomb of eleven tales of terror.

Come for the fantastic stories by Steve Van Samson, and stay for the incredible interior art by Derek Rook. It's a winning combination you won't soon forget!

Coming soon .. soonish .. Blood & Steel

Screaming Banshee Press gave the go-ahead to share the cover of their next release, a military horror anthology; CONTACT 2: BLOOD & STEEL. Hoping to have it out late summer. I have a story under "& More" ;)

I will, of course, update when book is released and available.

LONELY HOLLOWS

It's been awhile! I am, once again, appearing in an anthology! This time the stories are folk horror.

LONELY HOLLOWS by Pavane Press.

My story, "The Cellar Man," is in excellent company!

The paperback and hardcover editions dropped early, and can be ordered now. The Kindle edition is on pre-order, still slated for May 21st delivery.

new short story in AN UNHOLY THIRST

Pavane Press (Cliff Biggers & Charles R. Rutledge) have released their latest anthology, AN UNHOLY THIRST. As you might infer from the title, the theme is vampires.

My story "The Wreck of the Black Swan" features my occult hero Doran Coyle, last seen in WEIRDBOOK #40.

Created in Hero Forge®

 The cover art by Lynne Hansen knocks it right out of the park!

recent reads; The haunts of Christopher Golden

 It's autumn. It's October. The time for spooky reads has arrived.

I thought I might again try for 31 short stories read in the month. The issue (not really an issue but, you know, *raises hand* reader-type here) with that is that I hop around various collections & anthologies and while I reach my month goal, my goodreads reading challenge invariably slips because it tallies complete books.

So, this year I decided to read short stories but stick with the book(s), as well. Pick one and read it through. Repeat.

Christopher Golden has a new collection out, THE GHOSTS OF WHO YOU WERE. Before getting to that book, I decided to dig into my TBR piles and pull out two older collections; TELL MY SORROW TO THE STONES and DON'T GO ALONE. The latter features co-writes.

Both collections were fun reads. Chris's short story telling has only gotten better over the years. The man can write a ghost story, among all the other weird and haunting tales.

 One tale was a co-write with Thomas Sniegoski, and was set in their The Menagerie series. It was a good calling card. I decided to take a detour and read the first novel, THE NIMBLE MAN. If you want wall-to-wall monster killing and fast-paced urban/dark fantasy action, you should give it a read. I'll be getting back to the series soon.

Great stuff for October!

recent read; COLD COMFORTS by Marianne Halbert

 

Cold Comforts by Marianne Halbert

Another spooky read for the Halloween season. Halbert writes quiet horror, and disturbing, haunted atmosphere well. There are thirteen tales in this collection, and each one pulled me in. From the clairvoyant girl in the morbid "A Bone To Pick," to the fairy tale folk horror of "Housing the Hollygobs," to gallows humor of corporate Hell in "Like Riding a Bicycle," the tales in this book do indeed deliver cold comforts.

Not Far From Roswell, Kindle edition available

NOT FAR FROM ROSWELL 

Edited by Kelly A. Harmon & Vonnie Winslow Crist

My latest published story, "Heirloom," is available now in the Pole To Pole Publishing anthology, NOT FAR FROM ROSWELL. (Kindle available now, print to follow soon)

Despite the friendly cow, this is part of the Dark Stories Series. They wanted dark and I delivered. I have not read the other tales, but I suspect the tone of the anthology is dark fantasy & horror. You've been warned...

recent read; The Cunning Man

THE CUNNING MAN by D.J. Butler & Aaron Michael Ritchey

If you are a fan of occult detective/dark fantasy/folk magic stories along the lines of Manly Wade Wellman’s John the Balladeer, David Drake’s Old Nathan, and Brian Keene’s Levi Stoltzfus, there is a new novel you need to read; Dave Butler & Aaron Michael Ritchey’s THE CUNNING MAN.

Hiram Woolley easily joins the ranks of such heroes.

Let's look at the tease;

It’s the depths of the Depression, and a mining town in Utah is shut down. Something has awakened underground, and now a monster roams the tunnels. Along comes Hiram Woolley ... a man with mystical abilities derived from the commonsense application of Scot-Irish folk wisdom and German Braucher magic. ... Behind the played-out farms and failed businesses are demons, curses, sorcerers, and unatoned wrongs. Bags of groceries and carpentry won’t be enough this time.The job will take a man who has known sorrow. A man who has known war. A man of wisdom. A man of magic. The job will take a Cunning Man.

This is a fantastic premise which Butler & Ritchey deliver on. The characters are three-dimensional. The setting pops off the page. Hiram's inner conflicts are as well-drawn as his outer conflicts. There are tense, thrilling scenes as good as any horror suspense you'll read. 

THE CUNNING MAN should be on your reading list—near the top.

NECON is moving!

I suppose most people already learned this exciting news via other mediums, but in case anyone out there only goes by my blog updates;

NECON, the NorthEastern Writers Conference, has a major change coming for NECON 40, in July 2020. After holding 39 NECONs in Rhode Island, the conference is moving to Salem, MA. This also allows them to move the cap from 200 attendees to 250.

You can read all about the hows & whys here;

NECON is moving to Salem!

tinyurl.com/y5kwqwjv

What do I think?

I think it looks great!

Yes, my ride will be much shorter. Believe it or not, I'll kind of miss it. I liked getting away to Rhode Island annually. I will miss all the osprey sightings. But the new arrangements look amazing. I'm really glad there will be lots more common spaces to cluster and hang out. That was definitely a limitation of the old location.

Often during NECON at some point, people will take a break and head into Providence or other destinations, and that usually eats up a half-day. With downtown Salem so near, quick breaks can be taken to visit sites without taking a chunk out of the conference programming.

Speaking of the programming, if you didn't know, historically NECON spun out from World Fantasy Con. NECON's focus is usually the horror genre. In recent years, "horror" has been dropped from the official name (the 'H' was never included in the NECON abbreviation, anyway.) Lots of the guests write across genres. A handful or more of crime & thriller writers have been attending in recent years. The conference is more for speculative fiction now, though many of the panels are still horror oriented.

It will be a great time!

recent reads; Joseph Payne Brennan

Dover have reissued two hard-to-find horror collections by Joseph Payne Brennan. I'd been waiting to get a hold of THE SHAPES OF MIDNIGHT for a long time. Happy that NINE HORRORS AND A DREAM showed up, too.

These collections are a master class in writing short fiction. The stories contained in NINE HORRORS AND A DREAM are not flash fiction but with a few exceptions, they are short shorts. Brennan gets in, gets to the core of the tale, and gets out. The stories are lean and trim. The stories in THE SHAPES OF MIDNIGHT are slightly longer but still short overall.

Each volume is short. NINE HORRORS AND A DREAM is 106 pages. THE SHAPES OF MIDNIGHT is 124 pages.  (And they are printed in a decent sized font, too.)

My favorites were "The Willow Platform," "Canavan's Back Yard," and "The Mail for Juniper Hill."

If you are a horror or classic pulp horror fan, you owe it to yourself to add these to your collection and read them.

A few notes on these editions;

These are bare-boned editions. There are no introductions. Given that Stephen King wrote an introduction for the original THE SHAPES OF MIDNIGHT, and the fact that Brennan passed away in 1990, an introduction to the writer and his work would have been a value--especially for readers discovering him for the first time. (There is a Wikipedia page for Brennan, if you're curious.)

There is no information about the original appearances of the stories (where and when.) This might be the case with the original editions, I don't have them to compare. Not a deal breaker but I'm always curious about that.

Originally these collections appeared decades apart, so two stories overlapped. They have been cut from this edition of THE SHAPES OF MIDNIGHT but are included in NINE HORRORS AND A DREAM

WICKED WEIRD available now!

 

 

WICKED WEIRD is here!

(Well, kind of. The Kindle edition is available for pre-order. It appears the print edition can be ordered now.)

WICKED WEIRD

Though contracts have not gone out, the official t.o.c. was announced for WICKED WEIRD.

WICKED WEIRD is the next anthology produced by the New England Horror Writers group, following on WICKED SEASONS, WICKED TALES, WICKED WITCHES, and WICKED HAUNTED.

The original plan was to launch the book this August at Necronomicon Providence 2019. I don't know if that is still the plan, or if it will slip to their traditional October launch.

As you might guess from the title and launch plan, the theme this time around is 'weird' and 'cosmic' horror. My story, "The Painted Girl," is among the nineteen. Some intriguing titles and good writers here. I'm happy to be included.

WICKED WEIRD

Editors - Amber Fallon, Scott Goudsward and David Price

(In Random order - Not book order:)

Jeffrey Thomas - Your Emergency Response Guide
Lauran L. Soares - The Sweetness and the Psychic
Ken Vaughan - A Long Walk to the Ocean
John Goodrich - The Promised Death of Zebediah Dewey
Matthew M. Bartlett - Strange Haze
Barry Lee Dejasu - The Night and all its Visitors
Morgan Sylvia - Salt Cave
Errick Nunnally - A Song of War and Death
Jason Parent - Starry Night
William Carl - Reclaimed
Frank Raymond Michaels - Please Stay Dead, Aunt Marnie
Paul McNamee - The Painted Girl
Peter Dudar - Perfect Parent
Victoria Dalpe - Those beneath, devour
Steve Van Samson - A Feast of Flies
Rob Smales - Pet Shop of the Gods
John Buja - Lost Mine of St. Eloi
Trisha Wooldridge - The Mass of the Greatest Sin
Steven LaCroix - Better Late than Never

There you have it 19 original stories - 93K (pre-edits etc)

PICKMAN'S GALLERY available now (print edition)

Today is the anniversary of the birth of H. P. Lovecraft.

I re-read "The Dunwich Horror" yesterday.

Also in celebration, Ulthar Press have released PICKMAN'S GALLERY in print. Ebook to follow. (EDIT: Kindle version is now available)

One of the most popular and enduring characters created by H. P. Lovecraft is the mad artist, Richard Upton Pickman. Introduced in the short story, “Pickman’s Model”, Pickman made another appearance in Lovecraft’s fantasy novel, THE DREAM-QUEST OF UNKNOWN KADATH but was that the end of Pickman’s story? What untold horrors awaited? In this brand new collection of seventeen stories, some of weird fiction’s best authors present their versions of Pickman’s life and after-life. Join Peter Rawlik, Paul McNamee, Joshua Reynolds, Robert Price and more in this excursion into the dark side of art. Once you visit Pickman’s Gallery, you will never see the world the same way again!

Currently, the listing lacks a "Look Inside" preview. But thanks to having a proof copy, I can let you in on the table-of-contents.

• Introduction by Matthew Carpenter (editor)
• "One Night South of the Border" by Paul R. McNamee
• "The Studies of Dr. Reid" by Peter Rawlik
• "The Ghulistan Affair" by Sam Inabinet
• "Pigman" by Dave Haendler
• "A Creak in the Floor" by Victoria Dalpe
• "Pickman's Model" by Maurice Lane
• "For Susannah" by Tom Lynch
• "The Ghoul's Portrait" by Joshua Reynolds
• "A Pickman Original" by Logan Noble
• "Pickman's Muse" by Kenneth Heard
• "Eigenspace X" by Mike Chinn
• "The Medium and the Message" by LC Von Hessen
• "Beyond the Veil of Pretty Pink Lies" by Rebecca Allred
• "Pickman's Model Kit" by Cliff Biggers
• "The Pickman Revival" by Steven Vance
• "The Cleaner's Tale" by Tom Johnstone
• "A Photograph from Life" by Robert M. Price

recent read; AT THE MERCY OF BEASTS

AT THE MERCY OF BEASTS by Ed Kurtz

AT THE MERCY OF BEASTS is a themed collection of horror novellas. The theme is the past--each story has a historical setting.

"Black's Red Gold" - post World War I, the Texas oil boom leads men to avarice and murder. Deep in the bowels of the earth, Peter Black and his field crew find something potentially more valuable than oil--and far more costly to attain.

"Kennon Road" - during the American occupation of the Philippines in the early 20th century, a madman is viciously murdering people along the new island thoroughfare, Kennon Road. The natives claim it is the work of a demonic Manananggal. The Americans know better. Or, do they? Disillusioned corporal Charles Houghton finds himself drawn into the mystic, horrific world of the dark side of the islands.

"Deadheader" - Fast forwarding to the groovy 1970s, we find trucker Pearlie Pearce, hauling a "no questions asked" cargo. After she picks up a haunted, hitchhiking Vietnam veteran, the haul gets weird and dangerous as the duo are beset by strange attacking creatures and mystery men with their own agenda for Pearlie's cargo.

These are excellent novellas, blending setting, characters, monsters, the evil of men and the evil of monsters, and horror into just the right mix. I enjoyed all of these tales.

If you like horror and you like history, this collection is a must-read.