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Showing posts from March, 2017

Stygian Doorways by S.E.Casey

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There are well-lit doors we pass through every day, ordinary entrances and exits leading to and from the mundane. So too are there hidden, secret doors leading to odd places not on any map. Some lead to chaotic, slippery halls, others to rigid and cruel alcoves. These stygian doorways, much like the namesake river of the dead, are only entrances. Once they are passed there is no going back, the consequences permanent and merciless. These are the stories of five such doors. Wow, these stories are really dark, seriously there's no light at the end of the tunnel in these tales! This impressive collection features five epic and macabre tales, Swine City, The Century Coven, Devil Music, Her Spiral City and Cinema Delicti. A really impressive collection of short stories, my two favourites were The Century Coven and Devil Music.  The Century Coven The  mortal inhabitants of the small town of Berkshire forge a pact with a coven of witches to avoid relentless persecution. Honour

Spells and Stories. Interview by Gwendolyn Kiste

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Here's a link to an interview I did for the wonderful Gwendolyn Kiste! In which I talk about what inspires my writing and my debut collection of stories, Spells and Persuasions which is out now on Amazon You can read the interview on her website here Gwendolyn Kiste is a very talented author her work has appeared in many of the top horror, fantasy and speculative fiction magazines such as Nightmare, Shimmer, Lamplight and Interzone. In April 2017 she is set to have her debut collection of short stories, And her Smile Will Untether the Universe , published by Journal and I absolutely implore everyone who reads this to go and buy as it an amazing collections of stories! You will not be disappointed. You can see my review for And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe here

And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe by Gwendolyn Kiste

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I've long been an admirer of Gwendolyn Kiste ever since I discovered one of her stories, Audrey at Night, in Sanitarium Magazine. She's had her work published in all the top magazines such as Nightmare, Shimmer, Lamplight, and Interzone and has such a unique gift for story telling. So I was very excited to hear that she's  about to release her debut collection with Journal Stone in April 2017. I would describe the 14 tales in this collection as beautiful horror, enchanting like a fairy tale, spell binding, ethereal, but underneath the surface lies something very dark and unsettling This is horror but with a strong feminine touch which is a much needed thing in the horror genre today which is heavily dominated with men. It's like a quiet horror that builds with every page. Tales that you will want to read again and again. These are the stories of the forgotten and the rejected who refuse to fall asunder to change what makes them special to fit in. Powerful

She Will Rise by Calvin Demmer

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She Will Rise is the latest tale to be released by Calvin Demmer in the Dark Celebrations series. In this tale we are introduced to Luna Mendes who has returned home for Easter to care for her sick mother. Luna is tortured with loneliness, death has not been a stranger to her but she is determined to make the best of things by living her life by Isabella's five tips for a kick-ass life. She soon diverts attention form her own suffering to that of her mother, Selma whilst trying to avoid her alcoholic step-father who is beyond useless. She soon suspects that he is keeping secrets and as she follows Isabella's five tips she gets to the truth with horrifying consequences. Can Luna save not just her mother, but herself? Will she ever find out the fifth and final tip for everlasting happiness? A surprisingly touching tale not often found in horror, I really like I had gone on a emotional journey with Luna and I really felt myself rooting for her.  She Will Rise is the l

Spring Outbreak by Calvin Demmer

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In the latest instalment of Calvin Demmer's epic Dark Celebration series we are introduced to Gwen who's struggling to deal with her past. Gwen has her whole life ahead of her, she's done brilliantly in her first year at college yet all she can think about is her most recent heartbreak. Her friend Haley suggests getting away for Spring Break and takes her off on an extraordinary adventure to Mexico. Even her parents reluctantly agree it is a good idea. Yet Gwen is still finding it hard to forget and move on and look forwards to the next chapter in her life. Haley drags her to the beach for a sun-blessed day but that's when her problems really start. After a nap she wakes up only to find her friend disappeared. I really enjoyed this tale. I really felt I was inside Gwen's head and the characterisation was really good. There was a lot of depth despite it being a short story. There was a lot of twists and turns which really keep hold of you throughout. Sp

Spells and Persuasion: Nine Stories of Dark Fantasy by S.J.Budd

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Welcome to the first collection of short stories by S.J.Budd. A compilation of nine dark tales of darkness, revenge, terror, ghosts and things that go bump in the night. Come and be entertained for an hour of two.  Hear the depraved tales of a desperate junkie with a terrible secret who will do anything to escape her past. A young woman consorts with the occult full of desire for someone to notice her and experience the maddening passions of true love. Charlotte is buckling under the perfection of her dead best friend and seeks to punish her. Greenheart a powerful witch is desperate to save a young girl from being sacrificed to the old ones. Edward is hiding a terrible secret from his wife and the Knocker is coming to pay him a special visit. Out now on Amazon 

Dead Over Heels by Theresa Braun

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I really enjoyed Dead over Heels. I admit I'm not a big fan of romance novels but this one had the perfect blend of romance, comedy and horror. In this tale we're introduced to Veronica who is trying to find her soulmate. It's not been an easy journey and soon she turns to magic for a helping hand. After spending painful hours trawling through dating sites she finds Sebastian, even before meeting she thinks there is a genuine connection that goes beyond hooking up with each other. Veronica has battled with loneliness since her mother walked out and her father died. She's never had a happy childhood and longs for her own fairy tale ending. Sebastian arrives into her life and unlike all the others before he seems really genuine. But their connection goes deeper than Veronica could ever have imagined. Can their blossoming love affair survive the journey on which they must embark? Will they both make it through? What's also great about this tale is that it

How a Ghost is Born

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Great news! My latest tale, How a Ghost is Born , is out now at the wonderful   aurorawolf.com : A Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy. In this tale Jessica dies way before her time and devastated to have lost her daughter but she refuses to go on without her cherished baby for a mother's work is never done. Can she find a way back to her daughter? Can she defeat death itself?