tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66373483341402783692024-03-12T20:38:26.296-06:00The Horror FanIntroducing casual readers to horror writers. Find yourself a new author and book to enjoy from the reviews here. You can even win free copies at <a href="http://horrorcontests.blogspot.com/">the horror contests page</a>.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-84170354596694274622007-07-13T17:38:00.000-06:002007-07-13T17:46:01.028-06:00Where Have I Been?For those of you wondering I am alive. I have not been attacked by a guy in a hockey mask or bladed glove. No, I wasn't dragged into the woods and tortured by an author that received a bad review.<br /><br />I've actually been living my own nightmare. I've had some issues with depression my whole life but the first half of this year has been particularly bad. After going through a very ugly bout of depression I finally looked for help from a psychiatrist and counselor. It turns out I'm bipolar. There are no words that can accurately describe what goes on in the mind of a bipolar, or seriously depressed, person. There are plenty of things we can say but none can give the perfect description to somebody that doesn't have the problem. I've gone through two medications trying to find something that works for me so far this year with no luck. I'm now on the third medication. Hopefully this one will do the trick.<br /><br />The drawback for you is that during this last mood swinging period in my life I've done practically no reading. The list I put up in the previous post? Still haven't finished it. I do have a review coming for The Cage though. If you're a monster lover it's the book for you. I also have a movie I want to talk about soon too. A good movie for B movie fans.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-52354657410005461872007-06-13T07:58:00.000-06:002007-06-13T08:18:22.211-06:00Movies And An UpdateWow! It has been a good while since I wrote anything. I'm sorry. I went through a period of very dark depression. It was worse than anything you could read about by your favorite horror author. The first medication the doctors put me on was a big mistake because it just knocked me out. I slept for almost two days on it. We had to let it get out of my system and start a second medication. This one seems to be doing the trick but it's taken my body about a month and a half to adjust to it. Now it's time to get back to work here.<br /><br />I have four books lined up and ready to go:<br /><ul><li>Jason Brannon's <span style="font-style: italic;">The Cage</span> is the first one to be read. I have a signed copy of it to giveaway as well.</li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">Bitternest</span> by Alan Draven. I've tried to avoid any promotional info on this one so that I can go into the unknown and truly be surprised.</li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">Blaze: A Novel</span> by Richard Bachman. I'm trying to understand why SK went with the Bachman name on this one.<br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Good Guy</span> by Dean Koontz. The plot description on the dust jacket sold me.<br /></li></ul>If you have a Wal-Mart nearby head to the DVD section and look for the collections. There is a two disc DVD collection for sale with both Identity and Secret Window for sale. At $9 and some change it is too good a deal to pass up.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Secret Window</span> is a great adaptation of the Stephen King story <span style="font-style: italic;">Secret Window, Secret Garden </span>staring Johnny Depp. An author going through a divorce finds himself accused of plagiarism by a stranger. It doesn't take long for things to start going wrong for our hero.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Identity</span> is simply a great film. Ten strangers find themselves stuck together in a hotel one night during a horrendous storm. The roads are washing out and the phone lines are going down. One by one somebody begins to murder them.<br /><br />If you haven't seen either movie yet then you now know all you need to know to enjoy them. These are two great movies and finding them packaged together was a sweet deal.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-11984642431400160432007-05-05T14:15:00.000-06:002007-05-05T14:21:31.486-06:00Two BooksI'm dealing with some "life issues" at the moment and they have really darkened my outlook on just about everything. Knowing that my outlook has been darkened I know that my views on writing and movies are unfairly slanted towards the negative. Instead of making negative comments about the last few books I have read I have put them aside to read again later when things are better.<br /><br />Let me go ahead though and mention a couple of books that I think you would enjoy.<br /><ul><li>Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill. A ghost story with a love story thrown in. You won't see the love story right away, but it will sneak up on you. Good book.</li><li>Everything's Eventual by Stephen King. This is a great collection of short stories. One of the stories, 1408, has been made into a movie that should be on the big screens this summer. There is a little of something for everybody in these stories.</li></ul>There you go. Two suggestions that I promise will entertain you.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-58824381390623208592007-04-24T07:47:00.000-06:002007-04-24T07:51:40.466-06:00Not Dead YetI know I've been quiet but I promise I'm not dead yet. Most of the books I've read lately don't quite qualify as "horror" but one of them would probably make decent source material. I hope to get a couple of reviews up this week.<br /><br />Looking at my To Be Read stack I have way more books to read than I thought I did and I've got more on the way thanks to some really sweet ebay auctions I won. I've got enough to last me quite a while.<br /><br />Don't forget you can still enter the contest to <a href="http://horrorcontests.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">win an autographed Steve Vernon chapbook</a> over at the contests page.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-69432551708781460122007-04-16T16:11:00.000-06:002007-04-16T16:14:22.513-06:00The PulitzerCongratulations to Cormac McCarthy for wining the <a href="http://www.pulitzer.org/year/2007/fiction/" target="_blank">Pulitzer Prize for distinguished fiction by an American author</a> for his novel The Road. A copy is sitting in my "To Be Read" pile.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-48310529286332369612007-04-07T15:18:00.000-06:002007-04-07T15:59:55.636-06:00The Commandments<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RhgK07vefvI/AAAAAAAAAD0/xI1DGhYR1SA/s1600-h/commandmentsbig.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RhgK07vefvI/AAAAAAAAAD0/xI1DGhYR1SA/s320/commandmentsbig.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5050798886602309362" border="0" /></a>I was really hoping I could start this review with "The Bram Stoker Award wining collection...." but I can't. I can start with: The Bram Stoker Award Finalist collection <span style="font-style: italic;">The Commandments</span> by <a href="http://www.angelinehawkes.com/index.htm" target="_blank">Angeline Hawkes</a> and published by <a href="http://www.noctpress.com/" target="_blank">Nocturne Press</a> was a great read. Given that this is Easter weekend it's a great time to look at a book that deals with Christianity in a horror fashion.<br /><br />The short version is that there are eleven stories in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Commandments. </span><span>One for each of the Ten Commandments and a story that encompasses them. I believe writing this kind of story without offending the core beliefs of the religion is a challenge. I feel Angeline did a wonderful job of telling her story without offending those beliefs.<br /><br />The encompassing story is about a church that obtains a very old copy of the Ten Commandments. Once the tablet arrives and is put on display in the church things take a turn for the worse for the members of the congregation.<br /></span><br />Each of the ten stories focuses on one of the commandments and the punishment for those that chose to it. I try to stay spoiler free here so I'll just give a short teaser on each of the ten stories.<br /><br />I - When a husband and wife have different religious beliefs it can really stress a marriage. Be very careful which god you chose to worship but be more careful about choosing who you marry. You never know how far they will go to make a point.<br />II - Craven images are not to be made or kept. Keeping one around the house can just kill your relationship.<br />III - Taking the Lord's name in vain can do more than make your mother mad. It might just cost you your life.<br />IV - When you are supposed to keep the Sabbath day holy it's not a good idea to do any work. You won't believe the things you will see and sadly you won't live long enough to tell anybody about them.<br />V - This story got my attention because it shows the victim isn't always the person ignoring the commandment. Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother. Failing to keep this commandment will cause suffering not only for you but for your entire family.<br />VI - Thou Shalt Not Kill because if you do the punishment will be swift and horrific.<br />VII - The problem with having a mistress is she may not want you to go home to your wife. At least not all at once.<br />VIII - Gold. It's shiny, it's pretty and you can't wait to get your hands on it. If it's somebody else's gold though you might just want to keep your hands in your pockets.<br />IX - One lie leads to another, which leads to another, which leads to another. It's a heavy price to pay when they all catch up to you.<br />X - What's yours is yours. Be happy with what you have because if you start wishing you had what your neighbor does you just might get it.<br /><br />The encompassing story picks up again after the tenth commandment and wraps things up quite well.<br /><br />While I do say I think Angeline did a wonderful job of not offending the core beliefs I must admit that knowing a woman wrote the way Angeline did about the tenth commandment can really put a man's mind on the seventh one. Of course knowing how the stories end will probably scare him right out of those thoughts.<br /><br />There is enough horror variety in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Commandments</span> for any horror fan. Unlike some books where you get one type of scare Angeline comes at you with ten different ones. This is a book you will enjoy.<br /><br />Maybe next year at this time I'll be congratulating Angeline on wining the Stoker award. Her work deserves a win.<br /><br />Big "Thank you!" to Angeline for allowing me to quote the following paragraphs from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Commandments</span>.<br /><blockquote><br />How did they - how could they - Elias couldn't finish the thoughts. The skeletons had been piles of bones in the wood crate, but now they had somehow become connected again - whole - and moving as if alive before him in a clattering, creaking - but speechless movement.<br /><br />Elias stood there petrified, rain soaking his shirt to his skin, molding it to his body. His hair was plastered flat on his head and water gushed over his nose and face.<br /><br />One of the skeletons had retrieved the shovel and was studying it, while another one was curiously examining the golf cart. Elias stood there afraid to move; afraid to breathe, hoping the animated sets of bones would, perhaps, forget he was there; excecpt for the small detail of the rescuing-skeleton that was still tightly grasping his wrist.<br /></blockquote>Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-65248428839472354422007-04-03T13:25:00.000-06:002007-04-03T13:32:56.930-06:00The Last Stand of the Great Texas Packrat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RhKqhJU5__I/AAAAAAAAADk/rW5hrLB_ZF0/s1600-h/vernon-cover_tjp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RhKqhJU5__I/AAAAAAAAADk/rW5hrLB_ZF0/s320/vernon-cover_tjp.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049285618651758578" border="0" /></a><a href="http://users.eastlink.ca/%7Estevevernon/" target="_blank">Steve Vernon</a> brings us the tale of Texas Jack Page in The Last Stand of the Great Texas Packrat. This chapbook is available from <a href="http://www.whitenoisepress.com/" target="_blank">White Noise Press</a> and features the artwork of <a href="http://www.keithminnion.com/" target="_blank">Keith Minnion</a>. Each chapbook in this limited run is signed by both Steve and Keith. Again, the quality level of the small press never fails to impress me. This chapbook is going to stand up to the passage of time not just because of the story quality but because of the production quality as well. Each page features artwork that really helps set the tone of the story. By the time you reach the end you will feel as if you were there with Texas Jack page.<br /><br />Texas Jack Page is a man who loves his books so don't be surprised to find a part of yourself in the character. This is a story of a man who loves what he reads and collects what he loves. Before the end of the story you will find yourself thinking "Do I have that many books to? Am I on the same path this guy is?" This story serves as a salute to authors and readers everywhere. Keep in mind that for every positive there is a negative. Yin and Yang. Black and white. That book collection of yours is pretty impressive and positive, or is it? I haven't decided which scares me more about The Last Stand of the Great Texas Packrat, the story itself or how much of the story I see in myself.<br /><br />How much did I enjoy this chapbook? Enough that I bought a second copy just to give away to one lucky reader. The contest will be up within the next seven days.<br /><br />Big "Thank you!" to Steve Vernon for permission to quote the following:<br /><blockquote>Texas Jack Page became a hermit. He lived alone in a trailer in the center of a flat Texas plain. The grocery boy brought him case after case of pork and beans. He learned to bake bread and make his own beer. The trailer's breathable space grew cloistered and thick with a miasma of ass-propelled methane and the aroma of brewing yeast.<br /><br />And yet outside his trailer, outside his tiny world, his legend slowly metamorphosized. He was Texas Jack Page. Groveling sycophants e-mailed his screen name, begging for a glimpse of his dark secret world. The legend began and was added to, in entry after entry, a walking shroud sewn from a cybernetic sky full of countless message board threads.<br /><br />Teas Jack Page said this. Texas Jack Page found that.<br /><br />Online, Texas Jack Page was ten feet tall. His high-heeled boot prints stomped across the message boards of a hundred websites, touching lives and tantalizing the imagination of hungry young fiction cannibals.<br /></blockquote><br />One more thing: Call me IshmaelTony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-77907311094011305412007-03-29T15:11:00.000-06:002007-03-29T17:00:56.486-06:00The Sinister Mr. Corpse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/Rgwrt5U5_-I/AAAAAAAAADY/DHUeUzK7z_o/s1600-h/mrcorpse.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/Rgwrt5U5_-I/AAAAAAAAADY/DHUeUzK7z_o/s320/mrcorpse.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047457349858099170" border="0" /></a>With The Sinister Mr. Corpse <a href="http://www.jeffstrand.com/" target="_blank">Jeff Strand</a> returns to horror comedy. After experiencing the dark horror of his novel Pressure it's nice to have Jeff make us laugh again.<br /><br />Stanley Dabernath's life was going nowhere fast. He was broke, evicted, eating stolen noodles three times a day, of low moral constitution and attempting to run a video distribution company featuring such titles as: Extreme Fishing, Vampire Splatter and The Mysterious Case of the Chunks of Flesh. Things weren't going well for Stanley but at least he was alive. At least he was alive until the semi truck full of milk ran off the road, tipped over, trapped his foot and then drowned him in milk that came pouring out of it.<br /><br />Television reporter Donald Mandigan has gained exclusive access to the story of a lifetime. He has been invited by Project Second Chance to do a live broadcast of the first resurrection since Lazarus. Stanley was about to receive a second chance at life as The Amazing Mr. Corpse.<br /><br />Stanley does an amazing job of adapting to life, such as it is, once he realizes that he really did die and return. Life as a living corpse isn't that bad and Stanley finally has his shot at fame and riches. All he has to do is make an appearance, autograph a shirt/action figure/poster/hat/photograph, enjoy the spotlight of fame, take his daily injection and collect a big check. It's a good thing Project Second Chance has assigned him a personal assistant to keep up with all of it.<br /><br />So how does The Amazing Mr. Corpse become The Sinister Mr. Corpse? You'll have to read the book to find out and it's worth reading every page to learn all of Stanley's story.<br /><br />Once again the small press has done a wonderful job of producing a quality product. Great job by <a href="http://www.deliriumbooks.com/" target="_blank">Delirium Books</a>. I really like the gold inlaid title, image and author's name on the cover of the book. The book comes in at 259 pages and was a pleasure to read.<br /><br />Would I read The Sinister Mr. Corpse a second time? I already have.<br /><br />Big "Thank you!" to Jeff Strand for allowing me to quote the following from the book. In this scene Stanley is meeting his assistant, Veronica, for the first time. It really gives you an idea of what Stanley's personality is like and what it would be like to work with him.<br /><blockquote><br />"You're not a freak," Veronica insisted, "you're a--"<br /><br />"--a scientific phenomenon, I know. But, c'mon, look at me. I've got a face that only a drunken coked-up lobotomized mother could love."<br /><br />"Don't be so caught up in your appearance. You're Mr. Corpse. People aren't expecting beauty."<br /><br />"So I don't gross you out?"<br /><br />"Not at all."<br /><br />"What about now?" Stanley opened wide, showing her a mouthful of chewed-up eggs.</blockquote><br /><br />On a more personal note: If the comic industry can have Batman & Spawn teamup I think the horror story industry could have Captain Nothing, from <a href="http://thehorrorfan.blogspot.com/2007/02/nothing-to-lose.html" target="_blank">Nothing To Lose</a>, and The Sinister Mr. Corpse team up. That would be cool.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-7602101973033266602007-03-28T10:23:00.000-06:002007-03-28T10:35:01.675-06:00Pain & OprahHi there folks! I'm enjoying a pain killer moment and taking time to write this.<br /><br />The dental work yesterday did NOT go as planned. The plan was: Use pain killer injections, make mouth numb, fill one tooth, extract another tooth, go home. That would have been so nice. Instead it was: Use injections, mouth not numb, use more injections, mouth numb, start removing decay for filling, experience intense pain, more injections, more pain, more injections, begin extraction, PAIN!, extraction complete, more injections, begin decay removal again, more pain, realizing we just have to push through this, PAIN PAIN PAIN!, decay removal finally done, filling done, go home. Who needs horror stories when you have experiences like that? Today I'm still in pain but not as bad as yesterday. Still, not fun. I will get the Strand & Hawkes reviews up this week.<br /><br />Oprah? How did she get here? Oprah has listed "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy as the latest entry in her book club. A post apocalyptic novel chosen by the queen of the housewives. Horror lives.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-34263224398536211732007-03-26T15:07:00.000-06:002007-03-26T15:14:41.049-06:00Monday UpdateHi there! This is just a little entry to let you know what's going on.<br /><br />Monday Mr. Postman brought me a signed copy of Wild Things: Four Tales by Douglas Clegg.<br /><br />Tuesday afternoon I am having a tooth extracted and some filling work done on another one. Yikes!<br /><br />Wednesday - Sunday I plan to have at least two reviews up for you. One of a Jeff Strand book and one of an Angeline Hawkes book. Maybe I can work in a third one. I know there are some authors out there that have given me quotes to use but I haven't gotten the reviews up yet. Nobody will be forgotten, I promise.<br /><br />Am I the only one that ever dreams of drowning because my car went off a bridge? Creepy. Now go read a book!Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-47631554195510821952007-03-24T16:26:00.000-06:002007-03-24T16:44:20.758-06:00Corpse On The WallAuthor Christopher Hawkins brings my Three for Free series to a close with his story <span style="font-style: italic;">Corpse On The Wall</span>. This short story is available at his website <a href="http://www.christopher-hawkins.com/" target="_blank">www.christopher-hawkins.com</a> and is a great read. You can find it and other selections in the Writing section of his website. I love it when authors share previously published work with those of us that might have missed it before.<br /><br />Finding a strange corpse hanging in your home town is enough to give anybody the creeps. What I found creepy about this story was the way it shows the real horrors of society. As an individual a person can be very rational. As a member of society an individual can easily become just another mindless member of the herd. Individuals don't scare me, society scares me. How often have you done/bought/tried/watched/experience something because "<span style="font-style: italic;">everybody else is</span>?"<br /><br />Not everybody will take the same ideas from the story I did and that is a good thing. It shows were not mindless members of the herd.<br /><br />Go read the story and enjoy it. Be sure to read <span style="font-style: italic;">Carpenter's Thumb</span> while you're there.<br /><br />Big "Thank You!" to Christopher for allowing me to quote the following from <span style="font-style: italic;">Corpse On The Wall</span>.<blockquote><br />The wall was there. The wall had always been there.<br /><br />For as long as anyone could remember, it had stood at the edge of their little town, towering high above the rooftops, surrounding it the way a mother’s arms surround a child. The circle of its sure, steady timbers was thought to be a good thing, when people stopped to think about it at all. "Keeps the bad folks out and the good folks right here where they belong," the old farmers were often heard to say, and when they said it, everyone agreed. Still, no crops were grown in its shadow, and no one in the town would walk too near it after the sun went down.<br /><br />And so it was until the day that someone chanced to glance at the wall and saw a shape hanging dark and heavy against it. It had appeared in the middle of the night, or so it was thought since no one could recall ever seeing it there before. But, every last person in the town who looked up at it knew in an instant what it was, for there was no mistaking its shape, or the shadow that it cast.<br /><br />It was a corpse, suspended high against the weathered wood.</blockquote>Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-43967974870374017042007-03-22T18:56:00.000-06:002007-03-22T19:02:33.211-06:00Free Apex DigestI'm on a free roll this week. I'll have another free story covered later but for now let me share a link to a free (you pay s/h) Science Fiction and Horror digest. Apex Digest is giving away a free copy of Apex Issue 2. The only thing they ask is you give it a fair chance. You can get a copy by <a href="http://apexdigest.myshopify.com/products/apex-digest-issue-2" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.<br /><br />The names of authors that have contributed to Apex are pretty impressive. Some very well known outside of genre fans and others you may not have heard of but will most likely enjoy.<br /><br />I've taken the <a href="http://apexdigest.myshopify.com/products/apex-digest-issue-2" target="_blank">Apex Challenge</a>, as I'm now calling it, and ordered a copy. If you wish to do the same all you have to do is <a href="http://apexdigest.myshopify.com/products/apex-digest-issue-2" target="_blank">click here</a>.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-26084738142402961612007-03-18T19:45:00.000-06:002007-03-18T19:57:20.871-06:00FishingDon't you just love it when an author shares their work for free? Jason Brannon has done just that and it appears he will do it again in the future. Surf on over to Jason's website at <a href="http://www.jbrannon.net/" target="_blank">www.jbrannon.net</a> and head to the Downloads section. Once there you can download and enjoy his short story Fishing. Don't forget his first novel The Cage is available for <a href="http://khpindustries.com/cage.html" target="_blank">pre-order</a> now. Fishing is a wonderful short story and I hope you can enjoy it as much as I did.<br /><br />Life, death and truth, the sea holds them all. Sometimes what you catch isn't what you expected when you decided to go <span style="font-style: italic;">fishing</span>.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-75945528900367721242007-03-15T17:21:00.000-06:002007-03-15T17:37:09.457-06:00Haunted Harbours Ghost Stories From Old Nova Scotia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RfnVbxQ5EGI/AAAAAAAAADQ/1rCSdhh0YXo/s1600-h/hhcover1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RfnVbxQ5EGI/AAAAAAAAADQ/1rCSdhh0YXo/s320/hhcover1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5042295930875351138" border="0" /></a><br />Haunted Harbours: Ghost Stories from Old Nova Scotia by <a href="http://users.eastlink.ca/%7Estevevernon/" target="_blank">Steve Vernon</a> is a collection of twenty-one ghost stories from around the waterways of Nova Scotia. If you've had a hard time telling an author from a story teller this is the book that will set you straight. Steve puts on the hat of a story teller and invites you to sit and listen as he entertains with this book.<br /><br />So far this is the only book I've reviewed here that is kid safe. You won't find graphic depictions of death. You won't find zombies dining on human flesh. You won't find vampires flying into the windows of young maidens with violent intentions. You will find some great ghost stories though. Perhaps you remember sitting around a campfire as a child and swapping stories. Of course you had the stories that ended with "the bloody hook was in the door!" or "and it was his feet scraping the roof she heard!" but the best stories were the ones told by the normally quiet adult. The stories that had you seeing shapes in the fire and hearing noises in the dark.<br /><br />Growing up on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico I heard plenty of ghost stories of the sea and was thrilled to see that I had not heard any of the stories Steve tells in Haunted Harbours. The stories here all come from actual ghost stories told in Nova Scotia that are still being told today. I enjoyed the stories so much I ordered a copy of the book for my brother, a boat captain himself.<br /><br />None of the stories go over ten pages and most are much shorter than that. Steve does a wonderful job of giving us the setting, characters and haunt without overloading the stories with information we don't need. The settings of the stories require the use of some nautical terms but Steve gives enough detail that you don't have to guess at what he is describing.<br /><br />While you could read through Haunted Harbours, it's only 120 pages, in one sitting I would suggest against it. Take the time to read and enjoy each story on it's own. These are stories you will find yourself telling to people around campfires or in taverns later. Let the stories soak into your system and become a part of you. Then you will become part of the story telling tradition and pass it along to others.<br /><br />I really like the artwork on the cover by Michael Little and the interior art by John van der Woude. They really help set the mood of each story and spark your imagination. Last week a three masted ship, <a href="http://stadamsterdam.nl/english/" target="_blank">Stad Amsterdam</a>, similar to the one on the cover of Haunted Harbours spent two days at the Port of Pensacola. Sadly the public was not allowed on the ship but we were able to enjoy some wonderful views of it up close. I had no problem visualizing characters from the book walking the deck and in the rigging of that ship while it was here. The story telling lived on.<br /><br />It was difficult to come up with a paragraph or two to quote from Haunted Harbours because each story has it's voice that calls out to me. Anybody reading the stories will come up with their own favorite passage. I finally decided on the one below because it shows not only the commitment between a sailor and his captain but the commitment between friends. Big "Thank you!" to Steve Vernon for allowing me to quote the paragraphs below.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">John MacNeil was dying. It was his last voyage home from trading in the Caribbean; he was dying of tropical fever and was afraid of being buried away from home - not for himself, you understand, but for his wife, who would worry about where he lay. "Don't bury me in the sea," he begged the captain. "For my bones will know no rest and my widow will weep out an ocean over my empty grave."</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />The captain was a good and honest man who'd known MacNeil most of his life. He hated to break faith with a sailor and a friend. "I'll do what I can," he promised. MacNeil passed on that night, but not before wringing one more promise from the captian, who swore on his father's good name that he'd see MacNeil's body laid to rest in the Isaac's Harbour Cemetery.</span>Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-71249143115234564692007-03-13T15:46:00.000-06:002007-03-13T15:50:18.031-06:00Bram Stoker NominationsThe nominations for the <a href="http://www.horror.org/stokerballots.htm" target="_blank">2006 Bram Stoker Award</a> have been announced.<br />Because I am not a voting member, or even a HWA member (one day I hope to be a memeber), I can openly say "<span style="font-style: italic;">Congrats Jeff Strand for the nomination for Pressure! I hope you win!</span>"<br /><br />There is a lot of great work in the nomination list. Get out and read some of it.<br /><br /><br /><table class="ballot" cellspacing="6"><tbody><tr><th align="right" valign="top" width="80">NOVEL</th> <td width="356"> <p>Headstone City <em>by Tom Piccirilli</em> (Bantam)<br /> Lisey's Story <em>by Stephen King</em> (Scribner)<br />Ghost Road Blues <em>by Jonathan Maberry</em> (Pinnacle)<br />Pressure <em>by Jeff Strand</em> (Earthling)<br />Prodigal Blues <em>by Gary A. Braunbeck</em> (Cemetery Dance)</p> </td> </tr> <tr><td> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr><th align="right" valign="top"><a name="FINAL_FIRST_NOVEL"></a>FIRST NOVEL</th> <td> Ghost Road Blues <em>by Jonathan Maberry</em> (Pinnacle)<br />The Keeper <em>by Sarah Langan </em>(William Morrow) <br />Bloodstone <em>by Nate Kenyon</em> (Five Star)<br />The Harrowing <em>by Alexandra Sokoloff</em> (St. Martins) </td></tr> <tr> <th> </th> <td> </td> </tr> <tr><th align="right" valign="top"><a name="FINAL_LONG_FICTION"></a>LONG FICTION</th> <td> Dark Harvest <em>by Norman Partridge</em> (Cemetery Dance)<br />Hallucigenia <em>by Laird Barron</em> (The Magazine of Fantasy<br />and Science Fiction)<br />Mama's Boy <em>by Fran Friel</em> (Insidious Publications)<br />Bloodstained Oz <em>by Christopher Golden and James A. Moore</em> (Earthling Publications)<br />Clubland Heroes <em>by Kim Newman</em> (Retro Pulp Tales) </td> </tr> <tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> <tr><th align="right" valign="top"><a name="FINAL_SHORT_STORY"></a>SHORT STORY</th> <td> Tested <em>by Lisa Morton</em> (Cemetery Dance)<br />Balance <em>by Gene O'Neill</em> (Cemetery Dance)<br />Feeding the Dead Inside <em>by Yvonne Navarro</em> (Mondo Zombie)<br />FYI <em>by Mort Castle</em> (Masques V)<br />“31/10” <em>by Stephen Volk</em> (Dark Corners) </td> </tr> <tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> <tr><th align="right" valign="top"><a name="FINAL_ANTHOLOGY"></a>ANTHOLOGY</th> <td> Aegri Somnia: The Apex Featured Writer Anthology<br /> <em>edited by Jason Sizemore and Gill Ainsworth</em> (Apex)<br />Mondo Zombie <em>edited by John Skipp</em> (Cemetery Dance)<br />Retro Pulp Tales<em> edited by Joe Lansdale</em> (Subterranean)<br />Alone on the Darkside <em>edited by John Pelan </em>(Roc) </td></tr> <tr><td> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr><th align="right" valign="top"><a name="FINAL_COLLECTION"></a>FICTION COLLECTION</th> <td> Destinations Unknown <em>by Gary Braunbeck</em> (Cemetery<br />Dance)<br />American Morons <em>by Glen Hirshberg </em>(Earthling<br />Publications)<br />The Commandments <em>by Angeline Hawkes</em> (Nocturne Press)<br />The Empire of Ice Cream <em>by Jeffrey Ford</em> (Golden<br />Gryphon)<br />Basic Black: Tales of Appropriate Fear <em>by Terry<br />Dowling </em> (Cemetery Dance) </td></tr> <tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> <tr><th align="right" valign="top"><a name="FINAL_NONFICTION"></a>NONFICTION</th> <td> Final Exits: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of How We<br />Die <em>by Michael Largo</em> (Harper)<br /> Gospel of the Living Dead: George Romero's Visions of<br />Hell on Earth <em>by Kim Paffenroth </em>(Baylor Press)<br /> Stephen King: Uncollected, Unpublished <em>by Rocky Wood </em><br />(Cemetery Dance) Cinema Macabre <em>edited by Mark Morris</em> (PS Publishing) </td></tr> <tr><td> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <th align="right" valign="top"><a name="FINAL_POETRY"></a>POETRY</th> <td>Shades Fantastic <em>by Bruce Boston</em> (Gromagon Press)<br />Valentine: Short Love Poems <em>by Corrine de Winter</em><br />(Black Arrow Press)<br />The Troublesome Amputee <em>by John Edward Lawson</em> (Raw Dog Screaming Press)<br />Songs of a Sorceress <em>by Bobbi Sinha-Morey</em> (Write<br />Words, Inc.)</td></tr></tbody></table>Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-22687704900844124642007-03-11T14:46:00.000-06:002007-03-11T15:13:53.529-06:00The HoleA co-worker told me I needed to see a movie that has been on Encore over the last couple of weeks, <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Hole</span>. I'm glad I took her advice. This was a great movie. It's based on the novel <span style="font-style: italic;">After The Hole</span> by Guy Burt. I hope to read the book in the next few months. This isn't a movie for the kids and is rated R for good reasons. Will I watch it again? Oh yeah.<br /><br />One of the things that made the movie memorable for me was the fact that the cast is mostly unknowns to me. With the exceptions of Embeth Davidtz as a therapist and Keira Knightley (of Pirates of The Caribbean fame) as a hot teen girl, the rest of the cast were all new faces to me. This made it easier to accept their predicament without thinking "<span style="font-style: italic;">But he/she makes _______ a film so I know nothing too bad is going to happen to the character.</span>" Quick note for my male readers: Yes, Keira does go topless in one scene. I can almost hear men running to the video store now.<br /><br />The story begins with one of four missing teenagers, Liz, showing up bloody and screaming at the private school they all attend in Britain. This begins the first of two versions of the story. The first version is told from this teenager to the therapist assigned to work with her. It seems there was a school wide field trip planned. Those students that weren't going on the three day trip were being sent home to their families. The four teenagers wanted a private field trip and arranged for just such a thing. By paying Martyn, the kind of teen that can find/buy/sell anything, for his help they find themselves at the entrance to an old bomb shelter. Martyn unlocks the hatch with the promise he will return in three days to let them out. He has to lock it behind him or anybody that happens along with see something is wrong. When three days pass and Martyn doesn't return the four teens begin to realize something is wrong. It takes only a day or two for Liz to find the microphones hidden in the shelter and stage a performance that convinces Martyn to return as the four sleep and unlock the hatch.<br /><br />Then the second version of the story begins. The police point out to the therapist that she hasn't told Liz she was the only one of the four found alive. Martyn is found in the Dominican Republic and returned to Britain to face charges. Martyn quickly denies being responsible and begins to tell the story of Liz (Thora Birch) and Frankie (Keira Knightly) that shows they aren't as innocent as Liz's story would have us believe. It is in this telling that the story becomes very dark and we begin to see how love can bring forth evil. Once this second version of the story begins I promise you will not want to leave your seat. Just when you think it's all over the movie has one twist left for you.<br /><br />I really enjoyed this movie and believe most of you will enjoy it as well. My co-worker also recommended another movie that turned out to be pretty good: The Prestige. The Prestige is a movie that requires you to pay attention. When the plot twists start you wont want to miss any of the details. Go rent both of these movies and have fun this week. It's better than watching American Idol (yuck!).Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-65578308265838631662007-03-10T16:14:00.000-06:002007-03-10T16:31:18.010-06:00Creepers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RfMujBc1NiI/AAAAAAAAADI/-vX4rULJ26I/s1600-h/cree_morrell_cov.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RfMujBc1NiI/AAAAAAAAADI/-vX4rULJ26I/s320/cree_morrell_cov.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040423587177379362" border="0" /></a><br />Creepers by David Morrell is, without a doubt, on my re-read list. While the term "thriller" may be more appropriate for this book, "horror" is easily applied. When I read a book I can usually see the movie version of it in my mind and this book was no exception. However, the level of horror generated in the telling of the story could not be translated to film. If you really want a good scare curl up with this book on a dark night by yourself.<br /><br />The title comes from a term applied the group of main characters. Creepers are people that explore urban areas that have been closed to the pubic. Old hotels that have been boarded up. Subway lines that have been sealed shut. Abandoned areas of development or industry. Their goal is to sneak in, because it is trespassing, explore the snapshot of history contained within and then leave. They take only pictures and memories while leaving nothing behind.<br /><br />In the story a group of Creepers have been joined by a reporter documenting their work and adventures. A reporter with a past he doesn't wish to share with this group. A reporter with secrets that may cause everybody in the group to pay a high price. Who else keeps secrets? You'll have to read the book to find out. Be assured that as the secrets are revealed and the plot twists start coming at you that your pulse will quicken and you may just have to put the book down for a few minutes.<br /><br />What could be scarier that exploring an abandoned and unsafe structure in the middle of the night? Finding out you are not the only ones doing it. Finding out that when things seem their worst that the worst is yet to come.<br /><br />Don't be surprised to find David Morrell playing with your emotions as you read through Creepers. Where you jeer a character one moment you may cheer that character the next. Enjoy each plot twist as it arrives.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-55191121496849894832007-03-08T14:56:00.000-06:002007-03-08T14:59:17.155-06:00NeglectedI'm sorry folks. I know I have neglected you.<br />I've had so much going on in life I'm behind on more than just my reading.<br />I promise to get at least two reviews up for you by Monday. If I don't then you can force me to read the biography of Paul Reubens while hitting me with a wiffle bat.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-81626429155442073692007-02-25T15:17:00.000-06:002007-02-25T15:18:55.385-06:00Congratulations!Congratulations to Ing Kalchthaler!<br />Ing won the autographed copy of Funny Stories of Scary Sex by Jeff Strand and it is on the way via US Mail. Coming up next is a copy of The Last Stand of The Great Texas Packrat autographed by Steve Vernon. I'll have a review of it up this week.<br /><br />This past week has been pretty quiet here at The Horror Fan. Between a two tooth extraction for my wife and the passing of a kidney stone for myself it has been anything but quiet at home.<br /><br />Pick a book and do some reading. I'll have reviews up again this week.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-73650145043599047392007-02-17T18:53:00.000-06:002007-02-17T19:01:57.854-06:00Development Hell<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RdejteNWytI/AAAAAAAAACo/ru6tVeXxJUI/s1600-h/devhell.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RdejteNWytI/AAAAAAAAACo/ru6tVeXxJUI/s320/devhell.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5032671110208342738" border="0" /></a>Development Hell by Mick Garis is available from <a href="http://www.cemeterydance.com/sh/garris01.html" target="_blank">Cemetery Dance</a>. Once again the small publisher comes though with a well produced book.<br /><br />I wanted to write a review that would sing the praises of this book. Then I wanted to write a review that said how much I enjoyed this book. I finally decided I would just say I made an honest effort to read this book.<br /><br />Development Hell has gotten some wonderful praise and reviews but it just wasn't for me. I tried to read it twice and didn't have any luck. Mick has a fine writing style but the plot and characters just didn't reach me.<br /><br />I don't have any negative comments, but I can't come up with any positive ones either. Feel free to give the book a chance. It might be a treasure that I've simply missed.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-82402399711471135902007-02-14T00:01:00.000-06:002007-02-13T22:06:35.819-06:00Valentine's Day Q&A<span>Today I'm thrilled to present a Valentine's Day Horror Q&A with <a href="http://www.jackketchum.net/" target="_blank">Jack Ketchum</a> and <a href="http://www.michelebardsley.com/" target="_blank">Michele Bardsley</a>.</span> Each author was chosen because of the unique views on love, sex and horror they present in their writing.<br /><br />Big "THANK YOU!" to both Jack and Michele for taking time to answer the following questions. Enjoy!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cupid, angel or demon?</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jack</span> - Have you ever been in love when the little fucker wasn't both?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michele</span> - DEMON<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Which scares you more? Having your heart broken by the betrayal of a lover or having it broken because a monster just ripped it out of your chest?</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jack</span> - I've had the former. Got over it. When the latter happens I doubt I'll be able to let you know.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michele</span> - Um ... I think having a monster rip my heart is scarier. I can recover from a figurative broken heart.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Was Dracula a scary villain or a romantic lead character?</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jack</span> - My Dracula was Stoker's Dracula. An amalgam of the two. Dead, but beguiling.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michele</span> - Both. He was terrifying and sexy. Kudos to ol' Drac for pulling that one off.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Going out on Valentines night which would you suggest, scary movie or romantic dinner?</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jack</span> - First you gotta figure, what's your aim here? You want a hug or you want the full monte? Scary movies are cheaper. But if you've got any class you might want to spring for the dinner. Besides, most movies don't serve Chocolate Martinis or pitchers of Banana Daiquiri.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michele</span> - Romantic dinner. I like food way more than I liked to be scared out of my wits.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The marriage vows say that a couple will stay together until death. If a voodoo witch doctor brings them back from the dead are they free to date other zombies?</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jack</span> - Date? Did George Romero ever address the subject of dating? Did I miss something? For some reason I'm thinking dinner again. More important.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michele</span> - That's an excellent question. I think couples who plan to walk down the aisle should clarify this situation in their vows. I mean, if your body is technically dead, but still shuffling around, does that really count toward "'til death do us part"?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Psychotic small restaurant owner is serving dinner on Valentines night. His mind is finally slipped and he has butchered his wait staff. What body part(s) does he serve his customers that night?</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jack</span> - You've clearly got this goddamn restaurant fixation. You need to work on that. Okay. Is his wait staff male or female? What age? Are we talking cherrystone clams or deep fried bull's pizzle? You gotta be more specific.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michele</span> - The hearts, of course!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">It's Valentine's Day. You can spend it with any character you have written about. Which one is it and why?</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jack</span> - RED. Dogs are cheap. They love you unconditionally. And they don't bitch about the Chardonnay.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michele</span> - I would probably choose Patrick O'Halloran, the vampire hero from I'M THE VAMPIRE, THAT'S WHY. Yeah, he's really sexy and has that yummy Irish accent, but really, I want to ask him a bunch of questions about what really transpired in the world 4,000 years ago.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-37284452411063807432007-02-11T15:35:00.000-06:002007-02-11T15:42:20.408-06:00HelloLooking for a review? You'll find plenty here with plenty more to come.<br /><br />There will be a Valentine's Day treat here for you on the 14th. Be sure to drop by and check it out.<br /><br />It's not too late to enter the drawing for an autographed copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Funny Stories of Scary Sex</span> by Jeff Strand at the <a href="http://horrorcontests.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">contests page</a>.<br /><br />Speaking of contests, the next autographed item to be given away will be a copy of Steve Vernon's <a href="http://whitenoisepress.com/packrat.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Last Stand of the Great Texas Packrat</span></a>. Review coming soon. Keep checking in to find out when the contest starts.<br /><br />For the ale drinkers in the crowd you will be pleased to know that the advertisements for Sam Adam's Lager are all true. Goodbye Miller beer. I've switched brands. I'm also trying out some microbrewery beers as well. Maybe one day I'll work up the nerve to try brewing my own. Horror Beer maybe? Something to think about.Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-23752616587858811922007-02-07T14:30:00.000-06:002007-02-07T15:00:05.304-06:00Nothing To Lose<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/Rco3LHm6UzI/AAAAAAAAACc/iv7OvRTFlrA/s1600-h/nothing_to_lose_cover.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/Rco3LHm6UzI/AAAAAAAAACc/iv7OvRTFlrA/s320/nothing_to_lose_cover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028892598072922930" border="0" /></a>Nothing To Lose was written by <a href="http://users.eastlink.ca/%7Estevevernon/" target="_blank">Steve Vernon</a> and published by <a href="http://www.noctpress.com/" target="_blank">Nocturne Press</a>. Let me start by saying I really hope there are more stories coming from Steve about this character. I loved it.<br /><br />The book contains three stories about Captain Nothing. This guy is my kind of hero. Yes he wears a mask, or two, and believes in helping others. It's the way he goes about helping people that makes him so entertaining. Who needs heat vision or lightning speed when you have a brick and the bad guy doesn't hear you sneaking up behind him?<br /><br />After reading Nothing To Lose I found myself wondering if Captain Nothing is a hero out to protect the innocent or a institutionalized patient simply sharing his delusions with us. Either way he is quite entertaining in the three stories.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Glint Of Moonlight On Broken Glass</span> - Captain Nothing encounters two men assaulting a woman with plans to rape her. If she knew the horrors that awaited her in the future she would have prayed for death instead of a savior. This story gives us the supernatural villain that every superhero must one day face. A being that feeds on the suffering of others. A being that takes the form of it's victims so that it can feed again.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Lamprey Fellatio</span> - The problem with being a hero is there are people out to get you. After all, you can't have good without bad. All our hero wanted was to enjoy a night at The Sloppy Seconds and a few beers. Next thing he knows is his life goes from pleasure to pain as he finds himself chained to a cinder block and rapidly sinking. It's a fear we all have.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Frozen Axe Of Winter Love</span> - When you have no reason left to live the only thing you can do is die. This is the kind of story that will make you stop and give your mother/wife an extra hug in the morning and an extra kiss at night. If someone is determined to die then the heroic thing to do is comfort them before they go. Captain Nothing is just the man for the job.<br /><br />So where is the "horror" in Nothing To Lose? Each person will find it in a different way. To me the horror comes from the crimes discussed in the book that you can read about in your newspaper every day. The horror comes from Captain Nothing's point of view. Once you see how he sees the world you learn there is something to be afraid of everywhere. The horror comes from the choices people make when they feel there is no choice left.<br /><br />For those of us that grew up thinking "Batman should be more bad ass than this. He's the Dark Knight for crying out loud!" Steve Vernon has given us what we wanted. Captain Nothing is beyond cool.<br /><br />I can't help but wonder if I was the only one to hear KISS singing their song "Nothing To Lose" while reading the book.<br /><br />Special "Thank you!" to Steve for allowing me to quote the following:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Then I heard the scream. It was more than a scream. More like something was being pulled out of her, yanked and uprooted. I run like my feet have suddenly grown anvils; the purse rattling against my side like a bagful of hammers. In the moonlight I look like the world's ugliest drag queen, cape, purse and all. I don't care. She needs saving.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">By the time I get there the screaming has stopped. She's lying in the mouth of the alleyway. Lying wreathed in a halo of sodium lamp, something dark pooling around her, moonlight glinting on a fresco of broken glass.<br /><br /></span><span>I have one more point to make today. Why can't the major publishing houses produce books of the same quality as the small publishers? I recently received Ghoul from Dorchester and saw Hannibal Rising at the book store. Both of these books, all of the Hannibal Rising copies in this particular store, were in ragged shape. Apparently the cutting blade used during production was dull. In both books some of the pages were not separated and they both had the very ragged ends that looked like the pages had been ripped apart instead of properly cut. I'm am constantly amazed by the production quality of the smaller publishers and Nocturne Press is one of them. Wonderful production quality for Nothing To Lose.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-65539737367226228362007-01-31T20:43:00.001-06:002007-01-31T20:43:27.126-06:00Candy For Valentine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RcFRFSFja2I/AAAAAAAAACQ/03KwiHEP2C8/s1600-h/cndy4val_cov.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RcFRFSFja2I/AAAAAAAAACQ/03KwiHEP2C8/s320/cndy4val_cov.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026387810318510946" border="0" /></a>Once again I bring you the writing of <a href="http://www.michelebardsley.com/" target="_blank">Michele Bardsley</a>. I know some horror purists are thinking "But Paranormal Romance isn't horror!" To them I say "Phooey! Read the work!" Anytime you have vampires dining on humans you have a horror story.<br /><br />Candy For Valentine, available only from <a href="http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=536" target="_blank">Changeling Press</a>, is a wonderful erotic interlude running about 35 pages. The story begins with Valentine Carter attending a romance convention. For the men reading this think DragonCon but full of romance. Valentine is the author of "The Blog Bitch" and is well known in the romance book community for trashing books on her blog instead of praising them. She has been invited to take part in the convention but soon finds herself snubbed by everyone there. There are feelings of anger and revenge in the air. Just when it seems nobody will have anything to do with Valentine a Pierce Brosnan looking gentleman offers to buy her a drink. Even after she introduces herself he stays and seems to enjoy her company. Drinks, handcuffs, a ball gag and a chance to do the mattress mambo with Pierce? What woman could possibly turn down that opportunity?<br /><br />Valentine might wish she had turned down the opportunity. Before long we discover that romance writers and fans aren't the only ones attending the convention. There is a vampire in their midst and he needs to feed.<br /><br />Women will love the romantic aspects of this story. Men will love the erotic aspects of this story. This isn't a story for the kids. Michele writes erotica in ways that men will enjoy. I secretly think she's the editor of Penthouse Forum. Or at least has a letter or twelve published in Penthouse.<br /><br />I was able to get vampires, a little Valentine's Day romance and incredible sex writing in one great story.<br /><br />Something I really enjoyed was that Candy For Valentine comes in electronic form. This means I was able to put it on my PDA and read it on the go. I plan to order more stories from Changeling Press because of this.<br /><br />In reading the story I couldn't help but wonder if I wasn't being sent a message. Blogger, reviews, revenge. Hmmmm.<br /><br />A special note to the male readers: This is another one of the writings your woman wants you to read. There are some great tips in here.<br /><br />Special "Thank you!" to Michele for allowing me to quote the following:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> The gorgeous brunette sat on the bed, dressed in nothing but bra, panties, cuffs, and gag. Woo-hoo! He was mightily impressed by this surprise.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> "You are way more than awesome," he said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> Her brown eyes looked glazed and wild. Oh, baby. She was different from his usual donors. Maybe Steven and Eve had realized he needed to change it up. He was a rarity in a world filled with rarities—a vampire who could only feed when engaged in a sexual act.<br /><br />_______________<br /><br /></span><span>PS: Don't forget you can win a Jeff Strand autographed chapbook at <a href="http://horrorcontests.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">the contests page</a>.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6637348334140278369.post-18138617494873377882007-01-25T18:33:00.000-06:002007-01-26T16:31:01.456-06:00Pressure<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RblMwCFja1I/AAAAAAAAACE/tDfG46WN1vw/s1600-h/pressure_cover.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Jp6Vyf-NF1Y/RblMwCFja1I/AAAAAAAAACE/tDfG46WN1vw/s320/pressure_cover.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5024131247386094418" border="0" /></a>Pressure by <a href="http://members.aol.com/jeffstrand/" target="_blank">Jeff Strand</a> comes in just under 250 pages total but it doesn't seem that long. Why? Because you don't want to stop reading. Time will stand still as you get drawn into the story.<br /><br />It's not often an author creates a character that I can so easily identify with but Jeff pulls it off with the main character, Alex Fletcher. I so easily identified with Alex that when something bad happened to him in the book I wanted to hit the author with my copy. Don't worry, I calmed down. Jeff Strand is in no danger.<br /><br />If you are more familiar with Jeff's humorous work then you are in for a shock. Pressure doesn't have his sense of humor in it. This is a straight forward suspense novel that will put you on edge. If you are not familiar with Jeff's funny side then look at <a href="http://horrorcontests.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Horror Contests page</a> where I'm giving away an autographed copy of his "Funny Stories of Scary Sex".<br /><br />The story takes place in four phases during the life of Alex Fletcher. Each phase deals with the pressure he experiences due to his interactions with Darren Rust. Remember the creepy kid in grade school that you just knew would grow up to be a psycho? That's Darren. It's made pretty clear at the beginning that Daren just isn't right.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Phase I</span> - Sneaking out to peek in the back door of a strip club. Playing card games when you should be studying. Dreaming of growing up with your best friends and learning that one of them just might be crazy.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Phase II</span> - Going to college. Meeting girls. Running into the grade school friend you thought was crazy. Learning that with the right amount of pressure he can get you to do what he wants, no matter how you really feel.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Phase III</span> - You finally got rid of your "friend", matured and found yourself happy in life. What is that your daughter brought home from the playground? Didn't your "friend" have something like that? This cannot be happening.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Phase IV</span> - Friend or not, this has to end. Now. No price is too high when you have suffered this much. It's time to put the Pressure on your so called friend instead of allowing him to put it on you.<br /><br />Don't be surprised when you see yourself in this book. Don't be alarmed when you relate to the characters and know their pain. Be terrified when you realize this could happen to you.<br /><br />Yes this made the re-read list, but not too soon. I need time to get over the emotions from the first reading before I read it again.<br /><br />Looking for a good scare that doesn't involve vampires, ghosts, ghouls and/or the wolf man? This is the story for you.<br /><br />Special "Thank you!" to Jeff Strand for allowing me to quote the following from Pressure:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">If it's ok with you I would like to quote the following:<br />I motioned for Jeremy to stop. We stood there for a moment, listening to the sounds coming from the bushes. They weren't loud, and I couldn't quite tell what they were.<br />They sounded sort of....wet.<br />Jeremy put a finger to his lips, and together we began to walk toward the bushes as quietly as possible.<br />The wet sounds continued, vaguely reminding me of my mother peeling the skin off a raw chicken.<br />Jeremy held up three fingers, counting down.<br />Two...on...<br />"Gotcha!" Jeremy shouted as we simultaneously pushed through the bushes.<br />Darren cried out and threw up his hands.<br />A few drops of liquid hit my face.<br />There was a moment of absolute chaos, as Darren frantically scooted away from us, and Jeremy's face registered pure horror at what he saw, and I was suddenly overwhelmed by a smell that was far worse than the dumpster outside the strip club. </span>Tony Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03706107960299114227noreply@blogger.com0