Scares That Care (Part 2)

End of the Road

You ever heard of a crowd being described as “an ocean of people”? That’s what the third annual Scares That Care Weekend Charity Event was like—an ocean of horror movie and television celebrities and their fans, filmmakers and their fans, authors and their fans, publishers and their customers, haunt professionals and enthusiasts, comic book creators and their fans, paranormal investigators and their fans, make-up and special effects artists and their fans, cosplayers, and everyone else—all descending upon the convention hotel in Williamsburg, Virginia, to raise money for burn victims and children and women with cancer.

I was exhausted, but I had no choice but to cast myself into that ocean, to dive into that sea of humanity and hope I wouldn’t drown. Continue Reading

Interview: Greg Nicotero on Classic Horror and ‘The Walking Dead’

Cemetery Dance Interviews

Greg Nicotero chats with Nicole Cushing at the 2015 WonderFest Hobby Expo. (Photo Copyright Robert Cushing)
Greg Nicotero chats with Nicole Cushing at the 2015 WonderFest Hobby Expo.
(Photo Copyright Robert Cushing)

Greg Nicotero is perhaps best known as executive producer, occasional director, and special effects makeup artist for AMC’s The Walking Dead. But this is just the most recent accomplishment in a career that is now in its fourth decade. Nicotero cut his professional teeth in 1985 as an assistant to Tom Savini on George Romero’s classic Day of the Dead and went on to work on a number of late ‘80s horror franchises that have come to define the era. Since that auspicious beginning, he’s gone on to become a legend in the field of special effects makeup (both in the horror genre and in more mainstream fare). Yes, he’s worked with George Romero, Clive Barker, John Carpenter, Don Coscarelli, and Sam Raimi. But (as he discusses in this interview) he’s also worked with Quentin Tarantino and Steven Spielberg. On top of all that, he also co-founded the prestigious KNB EFX Group in 1988, and has won four Emmy awards.Continue Reading

New Rave Reviews For Haven by Tom Deady!

We’re pleased to report that reviewers are loving Haven by Tom Deady, including a STARRED REVIEW in Booklist, which means our very limited print run will be selling out in no time as libraries and retailers place orders for copies! Preorder directly from our online store now, so you don’t miss out!

Here are a few of those rave reviews:
PW StarWith compelling characters (both good and evil), a shifting narration that keeps the story moving, a building sense of dread, and breathless action sequences, this is a well-crafted example of what is best about horror today. While the novel is obviously for fans of Stranger Things and the classic small-town horror by those like King or Straub, don’t let its setting keep you looking in the past. There is a modern perspective behind this tale, similar to Maberry’s Pine Deep trilogy or Janz’ Children of the Dark (2016). Hand out freely to anyone looking for a solid scare.”
Booklist (starred review)

“Debut novelist Deady closely examines his setting, showing how the difficulties of facing down mob hysteria and starting over after a lifetime of failure can be as deadly as an escaped military bioweapon.”
Publishers Weekly

Haven

Read more or place your order while our supplies last!

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and enthusiasm!

Review: ‘Wrathbone and Other Stories’ by Jason Parent

wrathboneWrathbone and Other Stories by Jason Parent
Comet Press (October 2016)
160 pages; $12.95 paperback; $3.99 e-book
Reviewed by Frank Michaels Errington

Jason Parent’s new collection, Wrathbone and Other Stories, includes some wonderfully original tales of horror.  There may be only 5 stories in this collection, totaling 160 pages, but each tale is deserving of your attention. If you have yet to discover Jason’s work, this book will serve as a worthy introduction.Continue Reading

Scares That Care (Part 1)

End of the Road

Scares That Care is an IRS approved 501 (c)(3) horror-themed charity that I donate my time and name to. We fight real monsters of childhood illness, cancer, and more by financially helping families experiencing these overwhelming hardships. Each case is unique. We provide money, toys, utilities, and other items to help sick children and their families. We do the same for women fighting breast cancer. And we also partner with actor Kane Hodder (the Friday the 13th series) to aid children who have suffered serious, life-altering burn injuries.Continue Reading

Review: ‘Vyrmin’ by Gene Lazuta

vyrminVyrmin by Gene Lazuta
Bloodshot Books (October 2016)
360 pages; $13.99 paperback; $2.99 e-book
Reviewed by Frank Michaels Errington

Before I get to the review, just a quick comment about the publisher, Bloodshot Books. I really admire the effort being made to find books that either had a limited print run or have gone out of print over the years and giving them new life in the digital age by releasing them in paperback and e-book formats. Earlier this year, they gave this treatment to The Awakening by Brett McBride, a wonderful coming of age story and one of the best books I’ve read in 2016.Continue Reading

Introducing ‘Revelations’

revelations_banner

thegraveOver the span of my thus far short writing career, I’ve been fortunate to experience several moments of clarity; moments which have changed me as a writer and a person. One of them came in the form of my first actual critique from an editor, regarding the first short story I ever submitted. The critique stung with its stark, unflinching truthfulness, but it forced me to face my writing weaknesses head on, and showed me the immeasurable value of honest feedback. It set the tone for how I approach editorial critique, to this day.Continue Reading

Darkness Whispers by Richard Chizmar and Brian James Freeman Now 85% Sold Out!

We’re thrilled to report Darkness Whispers, the first-ever colloboration by Richard Chizmar and Brian James Freeman, is now more than 85% sold out! This beautiful special edition will also be the first signed Limited Edition hardcover from one of the hottest new publishers around, Scarlet Galleon Publications, so this is your chance to get in on the ground floor of a great new press!

Darkness Whispers

Read more or place your order while our supplies last!

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and enthusiasm!

Review: ‘Hearts in Suspension’ by Stephen King and Others

Stephen King News From the Dead Zone

Hearts in Suspension, by Stephen King.
Stephen King: Hearts in Suspension.

Hearts in Suspension by Stephen King
University of Maine Press (November 7, 2016)
370 pages; $30.00 hardcover
Reviewed by Bev Vincent

In his new introduction to “Hearts in Atlantis,” included in Hearts in Suspension from the University of Maine Press, Stephen King says that the sixties were probably the most crucial and formative period of his life. This collection of essays (and the one piece of fiction) focuses primarily on a four-year period starting in the fall of 1966 and ending in 1970, shortly after the shootings at Kent State. These were turbulent times in America, and influential years for the students attending the University of Maine in Orono (UMO).Continue Reading

Time Bubble

End of the Road

And thus began the most grueling part of the book signing tour since Tod Clark and I had driven across the American West—John Urbancik and I spent five days in mid-July crisscrossing Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. That no doubt sounds romantic and adventurous to some of you. Hell, up until a few years ago, it would have sounded romantic and adventurous to me, as well. It would have been my idea of fun. Sadly, it’s not so fun when you’re approaching fifty. Continue Reading

Review: ‘Nightmares: A New Decade of Modern Horror’ edited by Ellen Datlow

nightmarescover1Nightmares: A New Decade of Modern Horror edited by Ellen Datlow
Tachyon Publications (November 2016)
432 pages; $12.79 paperback; $7.99 e-book
Reviewed by Blu Gilliand

Ellen Datlow has been charting the course of horror fiction for over 35 years. In that time, she has maintained a balanced perspective in her numerous anthologies and collections, always casting an appreciative eye toward the established masters of horror while shining a light on the talent tasked with carrying the genre forward.Continue Reading

George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones Special Collectible 20th Anniversary Boxes From Random House & HBO!

We’re so blown away by what our friends at Random House are doing for their incredible George R.R. Martin collectible set that we just had to let our collectors know about it. We’re not involved in the production or distribution, but we’re ordering a few sets for the office! Here are the details we grabbed from the official website:

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the publication of A Game of Thrones, Random House has created three boxes in partnership with author George R.R. Martin and HBO. The boxes contain collectibles, exclusive items, and a special, illustrated edition of A Game of Thrones, the first book in A Song of Ice and Fire, Martin’s internationally bestselling fantasy series. This edition is not available in stores and includes an alternate cover and a full-color insert of illustrations. The box will be available for a limited time while supplies last in three versions: Special Edition, Limited Numbered Edition, and Ultra Limited Numbered Edition. Boxes will ship in December in time for the holidays.

GRRM

Read more on the official Random House promotional website while supplies last!

Review: ‘The Last Firefly of Summer’ by Robert Ford

lastfireflyThe Last Firefly of Summer by Robert Ford
CreateSpace (July 2016)
64 pages; $5.95 paperback; $1.99 e-book
Reviewed by Kevin Lucia

Over the past few years, Robert Ford has become the go-to writer when it comes to emotionally-wrenching fiction. Give him a little bit of your time and eventually, without fail, he’ll have your heart on a platter. The Last Firefly of Summer is no exception. With lean prose and and a powerful voice, Ford spins a tale about summer love gone wrong, and a vengeful adoration which must be satisfied. Continue Reading

Shining In the Dark: Celebrating Twenty Years of Lilja’s Library (Featuring Stephen King, Clive Barker, Stewart O’Nan, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Jack Ketchum, Ramsey Campbell, Brian Keene, and many others!)

We’re pleased to announce Shining In the Dark: Celebrating Twenty Years of Lilja’s Library edited by Hans-Åke Lilja, a brand new anthology that includes both original stories like an original novella by John Ajvide Lindqvist (Let the Right One In), very rare reprints like “The Blue Air Compressor” (a Stephen King story that has never appeared in any of his collections and hasn’t seen print anywhere since 1981), and at least one classic tale that inspired Lilja’s love of the macabre at a very young age!

Shining in the Dark

Read more or place your order while our supplies last!

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and enthusiasm!