Tag: horror

The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig #bookreview #horror #thriller #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews29 Comments

A family returns to their hometown—and to the dark past that haunts them still—in this masterpiece of literary horror by the New York Times bestselling author of Wanderers

Long ago, Nathan lived in a house in the country with his abusive father—and has never told his family what happened there.

Long ago, Maddie was a little girl making dolls in her bedroom when she saw something she shouldn’t have—and is trying to remember that lost trauma by making haunting sculptures.

Long ago, something sinister, something hungry, walked in the tunnels and the mountains and the coal mines of their hometown in rural Pennsylvania.

Now, Nate and Maddie Graves are married, and they have moved back to their hometown with their son, Oliver.

And now what happened long ago is happening again . . . and it is happening to Oliver. He meets a strange boy who becomes his best friend, a boy with secrets of his own and a taste for dark magic.

This dark magic puts them at the heart of a battle of good versus evil and a fight for the soul of the family—and perhaps for all of the world. But the Graves family has a secret weapon in this battle: their love for one another.

How I’ve made it this long without ever reading a Chuck Wendig book is a mystery to me, but he can now count me among his devoted fans.

This book weighs in around 550 pages, but trust me when I say it doesn’t feel that long. You’ll be so caught up in this family and their treacherous situations the pages will fly by. These characters had me from nearly the first page. They made be a small family of three, but this is one tight unit, and the love runs deep. After Nate, Maddie, and Oliver move into Nate’s childhood home after the death of his father, the action begins almost immediately. Each of them are dealing with everyday kinds of problems – Nate settling into a new job, Oliver dealing with bullies at school and finding new friends, and Maddie experiencing creative struggles with her art. Soon each of them are dealing with situations of a more supernatural nature. You’ll feel like a part of this family and find yourself fighting alongside them on every page. I can’t go into much detail without giving away spoilers, but I went into this book expecting a certain type of story. Wendig certainly delivered a captivating horror story, but he elevated it to the next level. I was shaking my head in disbelief and nearly speechless at certain twists, yet they were absolutely perfect and fell into place like the gratifying click of the last puzzle piece.

With magnificent character development (including supporting characters) and arcs, chilling scenes that raise the hairs on the back of your neck, and a gripping storyline, The Book of Accidents gave me early Stephen King vibes. The ending was absolute perfection, and one I’m still thinking about. This is an easy five stars for me. Horror fans, don’t miss this one!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix #bookreview #horror #thriller #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews24 Comments

A fast-paced, thrilling horror novel that follows a group of heroines to die for, from the brilliant New York Times bestselling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.

In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynnette Tarkington is a real-life final girl who survived a massacre twenty-two years ago, and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other actual final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives back together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynnette’s worst fears are realized–someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

If you’re one of those people who enjoying yelling at the characters on screen during slasher movies like Halloween, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street, this book is for you. You’ll find yourself reminiscing.

This support group is exactly what it sounds like – these six women are literally the final girls left standing, each the survivor of real-life horrific situations that were turned into movies. What the slasher movies never show is the fallout of surviving, the paranoia, guilt, and fears these women are left to struggle with. Some are dealing with things better than others, but Lynnette isn’t one of those people. Except for the support group, she’s cut herself off from everyone, has essentially barricaded her apartment (where her roommate is a beloved pepper plant she speaks to – and he talks back), stashed weapons and cash in hiding places, and has numerous escape plans. She’s certain it’s only a matter of time before someone else shows up to finish her off. And then her worst fears are realized when someone kills one of the final girls and then makes attempts on the lives of the other five.

As with the classic slasher movies, you can expect gruesome and gory scenes, some cheesy lines, and poor decisions made by the characters. The climax of the book plays out exactly like the final movie scene – a little long, kind of over the top, with plenty of injuries and blood. I’d guessed the “villain” early on, but I still enjoyed watching the characters piece it together. Another review I read pointed out that the final girl characters are named after the actresses who played final girls in slasher classics from the 70s and 80s, something I thought was a clever detail added by the author.

I was a fan of those movies in their day so I found this to be a nostalgic, entertaining read. If you’re not familiar with those films, keep in mind they’re a little campy, and this book follows that pattern. Not recommended for the squeamish when it comes to gore and violence – you may want to steer clear.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Buried by Sue Rovens #bookreview #horror #thriller

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews16 Comments

I published this yesterday from the WP app, but something went wonky with it. Imagine that – something going wonky with WP. Anyhoo, I’m posting it again today. We’re in the midst of moving my son, so I may not be able to get to comments right away.

Hoarding is about to take a sharp left turn into the macabre.

Priscilla Wyatt is a nursing assistant who lives behind the Sommerville Funeral Home. When her dachshund, Weenie, returns home with a ghastly find, Pris’s life spirals out of control. What was once a troublesome disorder soon dissolves into a hellish nightmare from which she attempts to escape.

Gerald Zenith, proprietor of Sommerville, is too busy running scams and keeping tabs on his necrophiliac subordinate to notice what is really happening during the wee hours of the morning in the cemetery. While he was certain his ghoulish past would never catch up with him, he never realized the dead could actually return.

Some secrets are too big to stay buried.

Trust me when I say there are some strange and highly disturbed folks in this small town. A therapist could make a killing with this many patients.

Sommerville Funeral Home is busy all hours of the day and night, but not all the activities are legal. Two sets of books are kept – one that shows a respectable business and the other contains the real financial transactions. The owner is scamming the public, putting multiple bodies in graves as one example, but the most unsettling occurrence is what happens to some of the customers’ deceased family members. One of the employees is a necrophiliac – see what I mean about disturbed?

Another resident of this town, Pris, is a hoarder – and I’m not talking about just piles of magazines, clothes, etc. Her dog brings home body parts he digs up from the cemetery next door. Can you guess the types of things she begins hoarding? When her friend offers to help Pris clean her house, she makes several discoveries that indicate Pris needs professional help – and it’s not just a cleaning service. Warning: You probably shouldn’t be eating while reading about these discoveries.

It’s apparent the author did thorough research for this novel – I can only imagine what someone would think if they saw her Google searches. Surprisingly, it also contains some humorous moments, and I found myself laughing over some passages. Another reviewer stated this story has a Fargo feel, and I have to agree – dark, quirky and bizarre. It’s an unsettling, grisly tale you can’t look away from and is sure to delight horror and suspense fans.

Goblin by Josh Malerman #bookreview #horror

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews24 Comments

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bird Box and Malorie, a novella collection in which every story reveals a sinister secret about a mysterious small town

Goblin seems like any other ordinary small town. But with the master storyteller Josh Malerman as your tour guide, you’ll discover the secrets that hide behind its closed doors. These six novellas tell the story of a place where the rain is always falling, nighttime is always near, and your darkest fears and desires await. Welcome to Goblin. . . .

A Man in Slices: A man proves his “legendary love” to his girlfriend with a sacrifice even more daring than Vincent van Gogh’s–and sends her more than his heart.

Kamp: Walter Kamp is afraid of everything, but most afraid of being scared to death. As he sets traps around his home to catch the ghosts that haunt him, he learns that nothing is more terrifying than fear itself.

Happy Birthday, Hunter!: A famed big-game hunter is determined to capture–and kill–the ultimate prey: the mythic Great Owl who lives in Goblin’s dark forests. But this mysterious creature is not the only secret the woods are keeping.

Presto: All Peter wants is to be like his hero, Roman Emperor, the greatest magician in the world. When the famous magician comes to Goblin, Peter discovers that not all magic is just an illusion.

A Mix-Up at the Zoo: The new zookeeper feels a mysterious kinship with the animals in his care . . . and finds that his work is freeing dark forces inside him.

The Hedges: When his wife dies, a man builds a hedge maze so elaborate no one ever solves it–until a little girl resolves to be the first to find the mysteries that wait at its heart. 

I’ve read several books by this author and consider myself a fan, but this is probably my least favorite.

I like the concept of six novellas with a common theme – this one being the bizarre town of Goblin. There’s a bit of overlap with some of the stories – names of businesses, the mention of another character, etc. – but each stands on its own. It’s one seriously creepy town with some sinister residents and not a place you’d want to visit. Given its origin story, it’s no wonder such heinous events have occurred throughout the town’s history. My favorite of the six stories would have to be Presto. I felt Peter’s excitement at meeting his hero magician in person, and the idea of a magician practicing “dark” magic was deliciously macabre.

The author really knows how to set an eerie tone and make you almost dread what might be waiting around the corner for his characters or under their bed. Considering these six stories are novellas, he also does an admirable job with characterization in just a few pages. It was mainly the story endings that didn’t work for me. Most of them left me frustrated after such a tantalizing plot buildup only to be let down at the finish.

Although this isn’t my favorite Malerman book, it certainly won’t prevent me from reading his next one. Reviews seem to be split, so other readers may enjoy it more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#BlogTour Reaper Aftermath by Jonathan Pongratz #NewRelease #horror #RRBookTours

On By Teri PolenIn Promotions30 Comments

I’m so excited to be a part of this blog tour! I read the novella, Reaper, a couple years ago and was really hoping the author would expand on the story. Wishes do come true, and here’s the proof. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, but since I’m such a big horror fan, you can be sure it will be soon.

It’s been five years have passed since the Reapers invaded Earth, but Gregory is back and trying to survive the wastelands left behind!

Welcome to the book tour for Reaper: Aftermath by Jonathan Pongratz! Read on for an excerpt and a chance to win 1 of 3 print copies of the book!

Reaper: Aftermath

Genre: Sci-Fi Horror/ Apocalypse

Expected Publication Date: February 5th, 2021

Five years have passed since the Reapers invaded Earth and tore it asunder. Gregory, his mother, Trent, and their group of scavengers hunt the decimated wastelands for survival.

But when a sudden Reaper attack forces Gregory through a Reaper door, he finds himself in a bizarre place, one that may provide answers to the Reapers’ past and where they came from.

Can Gregory put together the pieces of the past and find his way home, or will he just become another human casualty in the lost war against the Reapers?

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

I crouched behind a row of old dusty cars beside my mom and two other sharpshooters, my body trembling. Don’t freak out. Be brave. Remember your training.

I took a deep breath and dared a peek ahead between two cars. Across the street was a deserted grocery store covered in grime and soot. It was a small shop, maybe two or three times the size of an average gas station. A bunch of old, rotted wooden planks covered the windows, but the front entrance was untouched. Whoever had been here was either dead inside or long gone. No one in their right mind would leave their home unfortified, not anymore.

All was quiet except for the wind, but I knew better. We all did. Any second and the Reapers could be right on us. Though they never came out during the day, we couldn’t leave anything to chance.

Mom pulled out her walkie. “Proceeding with root-out of potential Reapers.” She retrieved an oddly-shaped ball constructed from cans, tins, and several small bells we called chatter boxes from her supply bag and hurled it over her head.

The chatter box clunked loudly on the ground, bouncing before stopping in front of the seemingly-empty store. For a couple moments we all sat there, waiting for any sign of Reapers.

              Mom’s walkie crackled to life. “Patricia, I think we should–”

              “Quiet!” Mom hissed. “I think I hear something.”

              I couldn’t hear anything, but there was definitely a difference in the air, like it was charged somehow. Just like the basement five years ago. Images of the past filled my mind: My little sister Imogen, the electrified feeling down in the basement, the Reaper’s sudden appearance. I shook off my thoughts and edged close to my mother.

              “You’re right, something’s coming.”

Mom nodded, her gaze fixed on the grocery store. “Be brave, Gregory. If you have to, fall back.”

I shook my head. There was no way I was gonna miss out on this.

Her eyes widened, and she gripped her walkie once more. “Reapers, incoming!”

 I drew my Glock from my holster, turned the safety off, and tried to look through the abandoned store’s smudged entrance. It was dark inside, but I could see two hulking figures scrambling to the front of the store at breakneck speed.

Oh shi–

Two Reapers crashed through the entrance in an explosion of glass that blasted shards in a thousand directions. As the projectiles clinked on the ground I stared at the monsters before us, a chill running down my spine.

 Large, festering boils covered their reddish, emaciated bodies. They stood tall on two clawed feet, but could easily switch to all fours for speed, doubling the danger of their razor sharp appendages. The Reapers opened their mouths, revealing multiple layers of jagged, pointy teeth as they gave ear-piercing shrieks of rage.

A grin spread across my face. Time to die, assholes.

I aimed, then pulled my trigger as deafening gunshots came from my left and right. We’d hit the one on the right several times. A thick, black liquid oozed from its wounds, but it was still in fighting shape and pretty freakin’ pissed based on the hideous snarl on its face.

The aggravated Reaper leaped forward on all fours, bounding over the car we were hiding behind and landing in front of the sharpshooter furthest from me. It gave a mighty roar, snatching him up and throwing him like a rag doll. He went flying, landing on a nearby car’s windshield with a loud crack. The monster eyed the other sharpshooter with furious, predatory yellow eyes.

Shit, shit, shit! I lunged towards the Reaper as I targeted it, then yanked on my trigger.  It gave a high-pitched cry of pain and staggered back a step. Damn it! I’d only hit its shoulder. Its hateful gaze was now focused on me.

A sudden gunblast boomed from my comrade, and the Reaper fell to the ground, unmoving. A large pool of black sludge gathered underneath its head where the bullet had exited.

Before I could rejoice in the kill, Mom shouted nearby. I spun around. She was battling the other Reaper in front of the grocery store with a long knife in hand. She had deep cuts on her arms and legs, while the monster sported several nonfatal gunshot wounds. I tried to aim for the Reaper but they were moving too fast, desperately circling one another for an advantage. One wrong move and I’d shoot my own mother.

The Reaper took a wide-arching swipe at her, but she dodged to the side, cutting its leg as she went. The monster screeched and turned to attack, but mom slid between its legs and was now behind it. Point blank, Mom whipped out her revolver and fired three shots into the back of the Reaper’s head. It fell to the ground, twitching in its final death throes.

Mom lifted her combat boot and stomped on its head with a sickening crunch. The Reaper didn’t move anymore. She spat on it, then pulled out her walkie as I approached. “All clear. Torch the bodies.”

I glanced back. Twenty yards away behind another row of dead cars, our small group of noncombatants emerged. Mom strolled towards the grocery store and I jogged to catch up to her, eager to see what was inside. Whatever it was, it had better be worth it.

Available on Amazon!

About the Author

Jonathan Pongratz is a writer and author of captivating horror, urban fantasy, and paranormal stories. When he’s not writing, he’s busy being a bookworm, video game junkie, and karaoke vocalist. A former resident of Dallas, he currently resides in Kansas City with his halloween cat Ajax. By day he works magic in finance, by night he creates dark and mesmerizing worlds.

Jonathan Pongratz | Facebook | Goodreads | Tublr | Instagram

Twitter Tags: @RRBookTours1 #RRBookTours

IG Tags: @jonathanpongratz @shannon_rrbooktours #rrbooktours #reaper #reaperaftermath

For a chance to win 1 of 3 print copies of Reaper: Aftermath, click the link below to enter!

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Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0e7c6a8f234/?

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Guns of Perdition (Armageddon Showdown #1) by Jessica Bakkers #bookreview #darkfantasy #TuesdayBookBlog

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews44 Comments

IT TAKES GRACE TO HUNT WHEN IT’S DARKSOME

Jessie expects he’ll be forever cleaning up after the cowpokes of the Bad Hoss Saloon. That’s until the day a drifter strides through the doors, and blows away a blood-sucking demon, along with Jessie’s belief in an everyday world. Jessie is captivated by the enigmatic Grace, with her pearl-handled revolvers, and wolf companion. He throws in his normal life and follows her across the Wild West, as she hunts down and slays the evil creatures that roam the frontier.

Along the way, they seek the aid of a Native American warrior, cross paths with a Cajun Queen, and encounter a small-town tycoon with a deadly hunger for gold. Animosity and distrust plague Grace and Jessie, and their strange group of allies, but they must put their differences behind them if they’re to have any hope of finding and defeating the frontier’s true evil, the Darksome Gunman.

The Armageddon Showdown is a dark-fantasy, weird western series of epic proportions, focusing on the age-old battle between good and evil, though in the Wild West, it’s not always clear just who is good and who is evil.

Join Grace Dyer and her band of miscreants as they battle demons and demi-gods, in the frontier’s deadliest conflict…the Armageddon Showdown. 

I haven’t read many westerns – to my knowledge this book makes a sum total of two. It’s not one of my favorite genres, but toss in Armageddon, dark fantasy, and a battle between good and evil and I’ll snatch it right up regardless of the genre.

The genre blend of western, dark fantasy, and horror is done so well and will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Some parts are a bit graphic, so heed the warning if that’s something you prefer to steer clear of (or just skim over those parts). It’s clear the author did her research for this time period, and I really enjoyed the western vernacular.

Morally gray characters are my favorite and these characters? Shades of gray dripping on nearly every page. Jessie had no idea what he was getting into the day Grace walked into the saloon where he worked or how much his life would change after leaving town with her. His character arc from young and naive to weathered and jaded is fascinating, but also kind of heartbreaking at his loss of innocence. It’s one of the things I enjoyed most. And Grace? She’s badass, hardened, lethal and ruthless, but I loved how the author also allowed her softer side and undying loyalty to her friends to shine through.

Vile creatures, unsavory characters, shocking twists, somber moments – my emotions were all over the place. Alexa read this to me from my Kindle and I had to rewind her more than once because I let some curses slip out over suprising plot developments. The author absolutely didn’t pull her punches from the first page to the last.

Readers of westerns, horror, and dark fantasy will be delighted with this gruesome, gritty tale and after this book, I’ll have to retract my statement about not being a western fan. It’s a powerful debut, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here.

Ink by Jonathan Maberry #bookreview #horror #paranormal

On By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews22 Comments

From New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry comes a standalone supernatural thriller Ink, about a memory thief who feeds on the most precious of dreams.

Tattoo-artist Patty Cakes has her dead daughter’s face tattooed on the back of her hand. Day by day it begins to fade, taking with it all of Patty’s memories of her daughter. All she’s left with is the certain knowledge she has forgotten her lost child. The awareness of that loss is tearing her apart.

Monk Addison is a private investigator whose skin is covered with the tattooed faces of murder victims. He is a predator who hunts for killers, and the ghosts of all of those dead people haunt his life. Some of those faces have begun to fade, too, destroying the very souls of the dead.

All through the town of Pine Deep people are having their most precious memories stolen. The monster seems to target the lonely, the disenfranchised, the people who need memories to anchor them to this world.

Something is out there. Something cruel and evil is feeding on the memories, erasing them from the hearts and minds of people like Patty and Monk and others.

Ink is the story of a few lonely, damaged people hunting for a memory thief. When all you have are memories, there is no greater horror than forgetting.

Take a moment to appreciate this exquisite cover – the designer did a magnificent job.  It’s been a while since I’ve read a Jonathan Maberry book, and after Ink, I’m kicking myself and wondering why.

From what I’ve seen in other reviews, the town of Pine Deep is featured in other Maberry novels, as are Monk and Patty.  I haven’t read those, but never felt as if I was missing anything.  Newcomers won’t be confused.

Antagonist Owen Minor is compared to a “psychic vampire” – he feeds on the tattoos and memories of others.  With such a large cast of eclectic characters, he’s got a veritable buffet to choose from in “The Spookiest Town in America”.  Two of his victims are Monk and Patty, who are easily my favorites.  Their stories are tragic and profoundly moving, and the loss of their memories and tattoos is deeply personal and gut-wrenching.  I ached for both of them.  Minor is abdominable, revolting, and intensely disturbed, and I felt slimy after every scene he was in.  I’ll never look at flies in the same way again and will be quicker to swat them in the future.

And that action-packed ending!  Holy crap, I don’t think I blinked once while reading it.  While it was mostly satisfying, I did feel as if some of the characters’ stories fell to the wayside and were left unresolved.  As a warning to readers who are faint of heart, Ink contains some graphic, gory scenes so be prepared.

This novel is bizarre, freaky, horrific, and often times gut-wrenching, but it makes me want to read the Pine Deep series.  I’d also love to see Patty and Monk in future books, so I’m hoping the author has a plan.  Highly recommend for horror fans!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#BadMoonRising Finding David by Stevie Turner #paranormal #horror #shortstory

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising62 Comments

Today’s author is making her first appearance at BMR, but some of you are probably familiar with her books – she writes in a variety of genres. Between sleeping in a coffin or spending the night in a haunted house? She’ll take the haunted house – she’s already lived in one, so what’s another to add to the list? Welcome Stevie Turner!

Would you rather sleep in a coffin for one night or spend the night in a haunted house?

I am claustrophobic, and so nothing would ever induce me to spend the night in a coffin.  When younger, a flatmate and I made a coffin for a party we threw at our new flat, but everybody had a go at climbing into it except me!  I spent many nights in a haunted flat as a child.  My bedroom was haunted by the ghost of a previous tenant who had committed suicide, and so yes, I’d rather spend the night in a haunted house.

Name three items you’d take to spend the night in a haunted house.

I’d take my phone of course, just in case I needed to call in reinforcements.  I’d also take in a good time-lapse camera and leave it running, and lastly I’d take something to eat because I know I’d not sleep a wink!

Would you rather use an Ouija board or participate in a séance?

I’ve done both in the past, although neither one was very successful. 

If you had to give up snacks or drinks during writing sessions, which would be more difficult?

Drinks, definitely.  My salivary glands hardly function at all due to 34 sessions of radiotherapy to the neck for thyroid cancer back in 2017.  The cancer is gone, but the after-effects linger for life.  I sip, sip, sip all day long…

Do you write to music?

No, I have to have total silence as I find music too distracting.  I cannot write a word if music or the TV is playing in the background.

What are you working on now?

I’ve just finished ‘Barren’, a family relationship drama, and am in the process of reading it through a few times.  By the time this promotion comes out, the book will be published.

When Karen and Mick Curtis attend a demonstration of clairvoyance for the first time, Karen is singled out by the medium, Rae Cordelle. Rae has a message from Karen’s son David, who passed over to the spirit world many years before. The message shocks Karen and sends her on a journey of discovery, rocking her previously happy relationship with second husband Mick, David’s stepfather.

Purchase Link

Amazon

Author Bio

Stevie Turner is a British author of romantic suspense, humour, paranormal stories, and women’s fiction family dramas.  She is a cancer survivor, and still lives in the same picturesque Suffolk village that she and husband Sam moved to in 1991 with their two boys. Those two boys have now grown, and she and Sam have 5 lovely grandchildren.

One of her short stories, ‘Lifting the Black Dog’, was published in ‘1000 Words or Less Flash Fiction Collection’ (2016). She has also written an article ‘Look on the Bright Side of Life’ which was included in the 2016 book ‘They Say I’m Doing Well’ which are articles about mental illness, proceeds of which go to the charity MIND.  Her screenplay ‘For the Sake of a Child’ won a silver award in the Spring 2017 Depth of Field International Film Festival, and her novel ‘A House Without Windows’ gained interest in 2017 from an independent film production company based in New York.  ‘Finding David’ reached the quarter-finals of the 2019 ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition. 

https://writers.coverfly.com/profile/writer-d3b3affc7-6104#accolades

Social Media

Website:  http://www.stevie-turner-author.co.uk/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/StevieTurner6

Blog:  https://steviet3.wordpress.com/

Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/105747643789021738179/posts/p/pub

Pinterest:  https://uk.pinterest.com/stevieturner988/

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stevie-Turner/e/B00AV7YOTU/

 Email: stevie@stevie-turner-author.co.uk

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7172051.Stevie_Turner

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClWFuLQHDqGmOM3KbKJ-Z0g

#BadMoonRising Of Witches… by Steve Stred #horror #occult

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising29 Comments

If you’re a witch fan or just looking for some creepy Halloween tales, this author’s collection of short stories and illustrations could be just what you need. Read below about his harrowing experience with a Ouija board after the tragic death of a friend and why he’s scarred for life by the Tristar Pictures music and Pegasus. Welcome Steve Stred!

Has a movie or book scared you so much you couldn’t sleep?  Which one?

When I was younger we had an unconventional ‘Christmas’ movie that we’d watch each and every Christmas. The Monster Squad. I don’t know why that ended up being our Christmas movie, but it did and when I first watched it I was maybe 6 or 7 and it scared me so bad. Each year, I would be petrified of it and it gave me a lifelong fear of Werewolves. Additionally, for many years after first watching the movie, I was terrified when the Tristar music and Pegasus would begin before any movie.

Would you rather use a Ouija board or participate in a séance?

I’ve actually used a Ouija board before and had a very uncomfortable experience. Where I grew up, a friend died in a horrible car accident. After her memorial a bunch of us were at a different friend’s house. We were having a remembrance sleep over/party for her. Someone decided to try and ask the deceased some questions with the Ouija board. We all uncomfortably laughed, but later on the board was brought out and they started messing with it. I was laying on the couch (trying to snuggle up with a crush!) when I felt a pressure on my chest and infinite sorrow. I began to cry uncontrollably, but could talk just fine. I told my freaked out friends what was happening and they were unable to help me get off the couch. It was as though I had been super glued to the material. After another few minutes of this, someone took the board and put it somewhere and poof, I was free to move again and didn’t feel any of the sadness I had felt. I don’t think I’ll ever mess with another one again.

As for a séance, I think it would be a unique experience, but only if it was with a group of people who were taking it completely seriously.

If you were in a horror movie, would you rather have a loaded gun or a car that wouldn’t break down?

I think part of this is situational. I mean if a car won’t break down, get in and drive, yeah? Leave Mr. Leatherface in the dust? But if you were trapped in a house, a gun would be much more efficient for your survival than a car parked outside.

Do you write to music?

Absolutely. Usually, I’ll have 2 or 3 albums specifically for each thing I’m writing. I listen to a lot of different music, but for writing sessions I’ll only listen to those specific works that make up the backdrop for emotional leverage of each release. For ‘Scott: A Wagon Buddy Tale’ which is the sequel to ‘Wagon Buddy’ I listened to Tom Petty and Arcade Fire. Currently for book three of my ‘Father of Lies’ trilogy, I’m listening to a lot of SepticFlesh and Dimmu Borgir. So, it really just depends on what I’m writing as to what I’m playing.

Describe your writing space.

BORING! Haha! Is that accurate? I do 99% of my writing at work on my lunch break, so it’s a computer on a desk with a fan beside it. Tada! I also do some very, very, very rare writing on my phone. So, it’s a Samsung and that’s really it. Not a very amazing spot like I’ve seen a lot of people’s set up!

What are you working on now?

Oh lord. What a loaded question! Well, “Of Witches…” just came out September 4th. So, that was my newest collection of 8 short stories about witches. It also featured 15 pieces of stunning art by Miranda Crites! I’m prepping my last release of the year, ‘Scott: A Wagon Buddy Tale,’ for its arrival. This is a sequel to my release ‘Wagon Buddy.’

Otherwise, I’m working on Books 2 and 3 respectively of my ‘Sermons of Sorrow Trilogy,’ Book 3 of my ‘Father of Lies Trilogy,’ my ultra-limited release ‘456 Blatchford Drive,’ my novel ‘Mastodon,’ the horror-western I’m co-writing with David Sodergren, and three other releases that I can’t share any more details on!

I’m always busy working on stuff!

“Of Witches…” the newest collection by dark fiction author, Steve Stred, brings together eight stories all revolving around one of history’s great curiosities – the witch.

Steve Stred will once again take you into the deepest, darkest places.

Accompanied by fifteen stunning photographs/illustrations, as well as an amazing foreword from Miranda Crites, this collection is sure to quench your crone thirst.

Within this collection you’ll find tales about;

-A watery reunion

-A story shared in a bar

-Letters left after a family member dies

–A chance encounter while camping

-Three sisters who live on the outskirts of town

-The events that follow the loss of a loved one

-Strange occurrences at a property

-A teenager starting to work at the family business

“Of Witches…” is sure to become both a Halloween classic as well as a collection classic.

Purchase Link

Amazon

Author Bio

Steve Stred writes dark, bleak horror fiction.

Steve is the author of a number novels, novellas and collections.

He is proud to work with the Ladies of Horror Fiction to facilitate the Annual LOHF Writers Grant.

Steve has appeared alongside some of Horror’s heaviest hitters in some fantastic anthologies.

Steve Stred is based in Edmonton, AB, Canada and lives with his wife, his son and their dog OJ.

Social Media

Website: stevestredauthor.wordpress.com

Twitter: @stevestred

Instagram: @stevestred

#BadMoonRising The Sea Was Angry by Armand Rosamilia #horror #seastories

On By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising68 Comments

If you’ve followed Bad Moon Rising from the beginning, you’ll probably recognize today’s author – he’s participated every year. Today he brings his newest release, a tale of horror on the sea (love the cover!) With his list of things he’d take to a haunted house, I’d probably tag along – the man has excellent taste in bourbon. Welcome Armand Rosamilia!

Would you rather sleep in a coffin for one night or spend the night in a haunted house?

Neither, but if I had to choose it would be the haunted house. I’m too fat (too many peanut M&M’s and bourbon in my diet) so I’d have to be stuffed into a coffin. That would be quite uncomfortable. Bring on the ghosts!

Name three items you’d take to spend the night in a haunted house.

A five lb. bag of peanut M&M’s. A bottle of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. A paranormal investigator. I’d drink the bourbon and eat the M&M’s and hope the paranormal investigator will keep the ghosts busy so I can enjoy my dinner.

If you were in a horror movie, would you rather have a loaded gun or a car that wouldn’t break down?

Definitely the car. Bullets won’t work against monsters. I mean, it might knock them down, and then you think they’re dead, but as soon as you walk away they rise behind you and start to slowly walk at your running form, until they catch up because you trip over something trying to look back, and… at least with a car I have a fighting chance.

Do you write to music?

I have to. I can’t stand when it is quiet. I need background noise. I’ll have my Spotify on very low, just enough I can hear the song but not enough I am focused on it. It’s usually a mix of thrash metal, black metal and random stuff like Bowling For Soup, Barenaked Ladies and Volbeat. I’m all over the place with music lately.

What was the hardest scene to write in your featured book?

In The Sea Was Angry, a lot of the beginning of the book relies on a shrimp boat crew. I’ve never been on a shrimp boat. I don’t like going in the ocean despite always living near it. So having to make it read authentic (as authentic as you can get in a horror book, I guess) I asked a lot of questions. Luckily I grew up in a fishing village in NJ so I had a few people to ask about it. A lot of it was cut in edits but I think I faked my way through it!

Describe your writing space.

I have my own office in the front of the house, so I can write while watching the street like an old man. We recently installed a Little Free Library out front, so I get to also watch the neighbors as they come and go, taking books and leaving books. Then I run outside and see what’s new. I collect Funko Pops, too, so there are hundreds of them on shelves in my office now, crammed in with my comic book art, Conan prints, Jaws stuff, zombie stuff, coffee mug collection, and so much more. I’ve had a few guests think the room is for a teenager. I guess it is, only I’m fifty.

The fishing industry near Daytona Beach is crippled when the shrimp stop coming up in nets, when the trout and flounder stop taking the bait… and when mysterious black sea life begins to attack the boats, the swimmers and the land, can anyone escape the horror as the oceans fight back?

Purchase Link

Amazon

Author Bio

Armand Rosamilia is a New Jersey boy currently living in sunny Florida, where he writes when he’s not sleeping. He’s happily married to a woman who helps his career and is supportive, which is all he ever wanted in life…

He’s written over 150 stories that are currently available, including horror, zombies, contemporary fiction, thrillers and more. His goal is to write a good story and not worry about genre labels.

He not only runs two successful podcasts…

Arm Cast Podcast – interviewing fellow authors as well as filmmakers, musicians, etc.

The Mando Method Podcast with co-host Chuck Buda – talking about writing and publishing

But he owns the network they’re on, too! Project Entertainment Network

He also loves to talk in third person… because he’s really that cool.

Social Media: https://armandrosamilia.com, Twitter: @ArmandAuthor, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorArmandRosamilia, Facebook Fan Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1637817943125835