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Showing posts from 2018

Clouded by Envy by Candace Robinson

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Brenik has always been envious of his twin sister, Bray. Growing up as fairy-like creatures, known as bats, everything came easier to Bray. While Brenik spent his time in her shadows, never feeling he was enough. After escaping their world of Laith, and living on Earth for ten years, Brenik attempts to strike a deal with the Stone of Desire to become human. Though true humanity is not an option, he will accept the curse that will alter him to get as close as he can. Living in a tree trunk for the past year hasn’t been easy for Bray, more so after her brother disappears again. When a human boy and his brother, Wes, find her, a new friendship is struck. Through Wes, Bray learns there can be more to life than waiting within a tree. But worrying over where Brenik has vanished to always remains in the back of her mind. When Bray reunites with Brenik, she realizes she must help him break the curse after she discovers the need for blood is beginning to overpower him. The curse not only

Left Hand Path: 13 More Tales of Black Magick by Steve Stred

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Within this book, the author of Frostbitten: 12 Hymns of Misery, Invisible, Yuri and Wagon Buddy returns to ensure you will be looking behind you frequently while reading. Left Hand Path: 13 More Tales of Black Magick collects all new tales filled with depravity and retribution.  Brimming with horror, thrills and creepy chills, the reader is sure to find the hairs standing up on the back of their necks and the occult themes causing them to question the true nature of the lights flickering. When all is said and done, when you finally finish reading this batch of stories, you will have found that at some point, you locked the doors, checked under the bed, and made sure all of the closet doors are closed. You have been warned. I was lucky enough to win this in a giveaway and to my shame it's taking me ages to finally get round to it! But now that I have, I'm so glad. There's a lot to love about this collection. It's dark, fun and full of surprises.  I really l

Fountain Dead by Theresa Braun

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Mark is uprooted from his home and high school in the Twin Cities and forced to move with his family into a Victorian in Nowhere-ville. Busy with the relocation and fitting in, Mark’s parents don’t see what’s unfolding around them—the way rooms and left behind objects seem alive with a haunted past.  Of course, Mark keeps his ghostly encounters to himself, all the while sinking deeper into the house's dark, alluring, and ultimately terrifying history. As romantic entanglements intensify, the paranormal activity escalates. Past and present come together. Everything is connected—from the bricks in the walls to the hearts beating in their chests, all the secrets of Fountain Dead are finally unearthed. This is a great book for so many reasons. The main characters of Mark and Emma are great, very different but both very likeable, you really get behind them. I really felt like I got to know them as the book progressed which gives the book a really emotional feel when the horror b

The Grim Reader reviews Tales From the Realm

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Really thrilled to have woken up to a new review for Tales From the Realm from Grim Reader Reviews  who does so much to help promote great horror. I have a story in this - The Forgotten House! You can read his review here Find out more about Aphotic Realm here . P.S they're about to release their Eldritch themed anthology!

Eat the Rich by Renee Miller

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I first became familiar with Renee Miller after reading Church , which was really fantastic, it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through and Eat the Rich is no exception. "When Ed Anderson discards his life to become a homeless person, he has no idea of the shit storm about to happen. Almost overnight, the city's homeless population spikes. So does the murder rate. Ed learns that aliens posing as homeless people are eating the city's wealthiest residents. He tries to warn the police, but they think he's crazy. The situation is worse than Ed describes, though. He's right about the aliens. They're here to free humans from wealth and poverty. The flesh of the rich is just a tasty reward for their hard work. And if humans refuse to embrace the utopia imagined for them, there is a plan B: ~ KILL EVERYONE." Eat the Rich from Hindered Souls Press, is based on an alien invasion like no other. It's told from both sides, the aliens and

The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyn Kiste

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The Rust Maidens by Gwendolyn Kiste is an amazing book and you're all in for a treat. I was very excited to have been given an ARC as this is an author who's work I've been avidly following. Initialy she was mostly a short story writer, gracing the pages of Black Static, Lamplight, Interzone, Shimmer, Nightmare and a whole load more. Since then she turned her hand to writing a critically acclaimed novella, Pretty Marys All in a Row which was released last year. The Rust Maidens is set in Ohio during the 80's the title is a reference to what became known as the Rust Belt when industry rapidly declined leaving many families out of work. Rust Maidens follows the tale of the inhabitants of Denton street battling to survive the economic downturn. Things get a whole load worse for them, but it's not just the men who suffer but the women too, particularly the Rust Maidens made to suffer the actions of man. Told mostly in flashback through Phoebe Shaw who returns r

The Mouth of the Dark by Tim Waggoner

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This has definitely got to be the most WTF book I have ever read? At the end of every page I was like "WTF?!" And it only got weirder further in. This is a really fun book and Tim Waggoner certainly has an amazing imagination which has earned him a Bram Stoker Award. Jayce, a middle aged man stuck in a rut has lost his daughter. She's vanished into thin air and it's taken all these years following his bitter divorce to realise he barely knows anything about his beloved Emory. But one thing he is sure of is that he'll go to any lengths to find her. But finding his daughter is no easy journey when he discovers a dangerous underworld, Shadow which  exists along ours. Jayce suspects this is where his daughter is, and that she might be in danger. "He'll do anything it takes to find his daughter, even if it means becoming a monster himself..." I wouldn't really classify this as horror though it is certainly dark. I loved how it was so unp

The Bad Neighbour by David Tallerman

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I was really fortunate to have this book sent to me in exchange for a review from Flame Tree Press, but my other half liked the look of it so much he nabbed it for himself. Here's his review! The back cover blurb gave me a good idea of what to expect but I was still shocked by how gripped by the story I became. When part-time teacher Ollie Clay panic-buys a rundown house in the outskirts of Leeds, he soon recognizes his mistake. His new neighbor, Chas Walker, is an antisocial thug, and Ollie's suspicions raise links to a local hate group. With Ollie's life unravelling rapidly, he feels his choices dwindling: his situation is intolerable and only standing up to Chas can change it. But Ollie has his own history of violence, and increasingly, his own secrets to hide; and Chas may be more than the mindless yob he appears to be. As their conflict spills over into the wider world, Ollie will come to learn that there are worse problems in life than one bad neighbor.

ReUnion

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I'm thrilled to announce that my latest tale, From Beyond has been selected to appeared in Deadman's Tome ReUnion anthology this is a celebration of ten years of Deadman's Tome! This is on sale now! Amazon UK  Amazon US

Incubate Initiate

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I'm delighted to announce my latest story, Incubate Initiate is out now at Dark Fire Fiction. Go read it here 

Dystopia by Aphotic Realm

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It's landed, the fourth instalment of Aphotic Realm and this may just be their best issue yet!  There's a stellar line up included in here of awesome writers and for the first time there's now comics included, more interviews, including one with the legendary Kevin J.Anderson and even book reviews! The theme for this mighty issue is Dystopia! In here you'll find tales of of broken worlds, dismantled societies and lost hope. Few remain and they will fight by any means for survival. It seems Aphotic Realm keep outdoing themselves with each issue. I for one cannot wait for the next issue: Eldritch! The Red Umbrella by Brian Black Dystopia gets off to a cracking start with The Red Umbrella by Brian Black. A really gripping tale set in a post apocalyptic world where nothing is what it seems. Interrogation by Anoop Anthony A great tale warning of the endless cycle of carnage and bloodshed. Can humanity work together in a crisis or will t

For Exposure: The Life and Times of a Small Press Publisher by Jason Sizemore

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This is the hilarious account of how Jason Sizemore had a mid life crisis and decided to launch his own publishing company, Apex, which needs no introduction. Reading this book has given me so much respect and admiration for small independent publishers. The struggles of a writer are very well documented but for the first time you get to see the trials and tribulations of an editor. Jason Sizemore recounts his journey of becoming on of the top indie publishers with pure charm and sincerity. I was really rooting for him and long live Apex. It's a very honest account of his struggles and shortcomings with brilliant anecdotes of book con shenanigans. I've never been to a convention but after reading this I'm dying to try them out! Bring on StokerCon 2020!

Sounds of the Night

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Sounds of the Night is the latest anthology to be released by the super awesome Alban Lake Publishing crew due out Oct 18. My story, What The Eyes Cannot See, will be included. This is my first novelette to be published! You can pre-order Sounds of The Night now from Infinite Realm Book Store here

New Story! Fliggy-Wibbit hits Mystic Blue Review

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You can read my latest tale, Fliggy-Wibbit in issue 5 of The Mystic Blue Review. My first non horror tale to be published, but it is still spooky! You can read it here is Issue 5

The Siren and The Specter by Jonathan Janz

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Hands down this has got to be the best book I've read this year, and I've read some very good books! If I'm honest when I first started to read this book I thought it would be your standard haunted house story but this book is so much more than that. It starts off slow, but creepy, there's an ominous undercurrent and not unlike the epic TV series of 24 it kicks off and takes you on an adrenaline packed adventure. It became one of those book where I had to keep reading, even if it meant staying up all night. I was genuinely scared reading this book which isn't something that happens often. When David Caine, a celebrated skeptic of the supernatural, is invited by an old friend to spend a month in “the most haunted house in Virginia,” he believes the case will be like any other. But the Alexander House is different. Built by a 1700s land baron to contain the madness and depravity of his eldest son, the house is plagued by shadows of the past and the lingering ta

Shotgun Strange Stories Magazine Issue 1

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Attention everyone there's a brand new magazine for those who love strange and scary stories, it's called Shotgun Strange Stories edited by David Wilson. It's available in print for only $4 and good news for those across the atlantic, I purchased the digital bundle which includes a pdf, epub and mobi copy for only $2 which as around £1.50 in sterling. Absolute bargain! I'm reviewing the kindle version. There's so much more included in the paper version with really cool features such as word searches and illustrations. You'll be able to see this in the pdf copy if you go for the digital bundle. Road Trip by Matthew Standiford Greg is learning to live again after a brutal loss in his life. He's gone through a really bad patch but has come out broken but in one piece. As long as he has his dear wife, Kirstin beside him to guide him out of the darkness. This was a great tale to start off the first issue. I found this really moving and the ending te

Toroa by Erik Hofstatter

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A lot of this tale is very shocking, some of it made for some very uncomfortable reading and I wasn't sure if I liked any of the characters, but I loved the book! Toroa kicks off at Rochester Castle at the Medieval Merriment festival when Mahi, a young woman meets an enigmatic fire breathing stranger, Aryan, a young man completely free in life. Mahi, stuck in life and tethered to a cycle of shocking abuse can't resist his appeal. Like a bird, the very creatures Mahi has a life long obsession with, he takes himself where he pleases, lives life with only one aim of being happy which reignites old questions inside Mahi. Who is her father and what is her Maori ancestry? This is a tale about transformation, shocking and brutal. A very macabre coming of age story. I ended up hating Mahi but also at the same time I really pitied her. In the end she becomes a figure, sort of a dark god who comes to represent female suffering. For me this was a very emotional tale as I ended

Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer takes on Tales From the Realm!

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Hey Guys just wanted to share with you the latest review for Tales From the Realm by Aphotic Realm . For those who don't know this is a collection of the finest 20 tales to be published on their website. (There's so many more great stories on there so do check it out!) This collection features a tale by yours truly, The Forgotten House. You can read the review in full here If strange and sinister fiction is your thing then do check out Aphotic Realm's amazing magazines; so far there has been Apparitions , Banished , Classified and the latest, Dystopia . They are available in paperback to purchase now.

Greener Pastures by Michael Wehunt

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I was really blown away by this collection from Apex Publishing. It's not often that I come across a collection like this where each story is superb. This is horror fiction at its finest, which isn't surprising as his work has appeared in Cemetery Dance, Black Static, The Dark, Shadows and Tall Trees, Nightscript, Shock Totem and Gamut (plus many more.) He also received a Shirley Jackson nomination for his debut collection; Greener Pastures. I was a couple of paragraphs into the first story, Beside Me Singing In The Wilderness, when I realised this was a really special book. "I've come home to this nameless mountain pouring blood from it's bowel." It actually took me a really long time to read this as I almost didn't want it to end. This collection is one of those books that you will want to read over and over. Firstly for the enjoyment of outstanding horror and secondly to try and find out how Michael Wehunt spell binds his readers to the page

New Review for Tales From the Realm Vol 1 by Aphotic Realm

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I was lucky enough to have one of my short stories, The Forgotten House, included in Aphotic Realm's Best of Anthology. There's a great line up in here and its a truly great anthology. Featuring 20 tales of dark and sinister fiction. So far the reviews for Tales From the Realm have been fantastic, and there's a new one from Maura Yzmore, you can read it here from her blog. Tales from the Realm out now Amazon UK Amazon US

Something Borrowed, Something Blood-soaked by Christa Carmen

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I first came across Christa Carmen is issue 5 of Unnerving magazine with her short tale, The Red Room. It really stood out to me amongst the others and I thought here's a new voice in horror. So obviously I jumped at the chance to get a sneak peak at her upcoming debut collection Something Borrowed, Something Blood-soaked. With this collection of tales she does not disappoint. I had a lot of fun reading through this.There are thirteen tales inside and not one of them was a dud. Stand out tales for me include; Lady of the Flies, The Girl Who Loved Bruce Campbell, This Our Angry Train and Souls Dark and Deep. Although they are all very good! There's a lot to like about this collection, not only can Christa Carmen entertain you for a few hours with dark tales they are also really thought provoking and stay with you long afterwards. Her stories delve deep into all forms of darkness, the grit of human depravities and the things which no mortal can explain. You get the sense

Tales From the Shadow Booth Volume 2 - Edited by Dan Coxon

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The Shadow Booth edited by Dan Coxon, is a new journal of weird and eerie fiction and after reading the excellent Fortune Box by Madeleine Swann I have gotten a taste for weird fiction that is hard to classify. This is the second volume from ShadowBooth. I haven't read the first yet, but after I finished this I immediately downloaded the first instalment. Volume 2 features 12 short stories by many authors you will recognise if you' re  a fan of creepy horror fiction. I have to say the range of styles and subjects in this volume is huge. All tastes are catered for. This is a really impressive collection. My ultimate favourites included; We Are the Disease, Monkeys on the Beach and Cave Venus et Stella. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the others,  it's just that this anthology has a very strong line up. Buddy by Mark Morris This was delightfully creepy creepy, particularly the descriptions of  Buddy. For me this is a slow burner but the wait is worth it

A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan

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I was sold on this book by the title alone, long have I been utterly fascinated by witches and powerful women. I thought it would be a tale about kick ass witches but was surprised to find it something else entirely. This is a family saga, told in five stories about the descendants of  powerful Romani witches descended from, Ursule Ochiere. a powerful sorceress. A Secret History of Witches is told in five book; Nanette, Ursule, Irene, Morwen and Veronica. It starts in 1821 and leads right up to the modern age with the outbreak of World War 2. This type of story reminds me of Winston Graham's Poldark saga series and if you liked those you will definitely like this book. I would say this book leans more to historical fiction that fantasy that shows five girls coming of age when they find themselves approaching adulthood and having to make big decisions about their fates, choosing what it they want and just how far they are willing to go to get it. The tale starts off in B

Fortune Box Stories by Madeleine Swann

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It sounds shallow but what first drew to this delightful little book was the cover. Look at it, it's so gorgeous I simply had to know what was inside! A book cover so cute my three year old daughter kept making off with it. But eventually I found it hidden amongst her dollies and was able to finish, but since finishing it it has suspiciously disappeared again. Published by Eraserhead Press this is a little book containing 9 short stories of bizarro fiction. The characters all have one thing in common, they each receive a surprise package from Tower Ltd Surprise Packages which contain a very odd assortment of items that will change their lives. It gets off to a really good start with Meera's tale, (This was one of my favourites.) who is a dissatisfied young woman who desperately wants to find her perfect date and is not the patient type. After a terrible first date she comes back to her flat to find a package has arrived, containing seeds and a tiny watering can. For

Interview with Kendall Reviews

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I've recently done an interview with Kendall Reviews ,  this is an amazing site that reviews all the latest amazing  horror books coming out as well as featuring loads of fascinating interviews with odd and quirky writers like myself! In this interview I talk  a little about me, what my fave books are, the authors who inspire me and who I'd most like to be trapped on a deserted island with. You can read it here 

The Kraken Sea by E.Katherine Tobler

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It's not often I come across a story this strange but I'm very glad I did. The Kraken Sea is a novella about a young orphan boy,Jackson, who is taken in by a affluent and mysterious woman, Cressida aka The Widow. She gives him a home in an exclusive area of San Francisco and is put to work serving her. But Jackson is no ordinary boy, as this is no ordinary tale. When he grows angry he mutates into a monster with slithering tentacles for hands and feet. He keeps this side of him hidden as he longs to be normal and human. People keep clear of him, all apart from Mae, a young girl from a rival family just north of The Widow's sphere of influence and control. Like him, she also seems to have dark powers lurking just beneath the skin. Mae and Jackson are rivals who should be tearing each other apart but they are hopelessly drawn to one another. Mae exerts a curiosity on Jackson that nothing else can in this strange alien world he finds himself in. E.Katherine Tobler