Review: ‘Where You Live’ by Gary McMahon

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsTags , , , , Leave a comment on Review: ‘Where You Live’ by Gary McMahon

whereyouliveWhere You Live by Gary McMahon
Crystal Lake Publishing (November 2013)
266 pages, $12.99 paperback; $2.99 e-book
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Where You Live is a varied collection of short stories by Gary McMahon. McMahon is an award winning author of both novels and short stories, and this collection gathers some of his best together. The bulk of this collection was originally published as a limited edition book from Gray Friar Press titled It Knows Where You Live, but the current collection expands that previous collection with newer stories and makes it available to a wider reading public. Overall, Where You Live is a really satisfying collection of horror pieces.Continue Reading

Drive On

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories Brian Keene's End of the RoadTags , , , Leave a comment on Drive On

EndofRoad-web

Drive On

CD
A quick side-trip to the beach. (Photo Copyright 2016 Brian Keene)

Early morning in Los Angeles, and after a week, I was still on East Coast time. As a result, while the rest of the household slept, I was sitting out on David Schow’s balcony in the Hollywood hills, looking down on the city, and drinking coffee. It was the first moment of reflective, quiet, alone time I’d had since leaving home, and I was enjoying it. I watched the sun rise. I watched a coyote slink behind a neighbor’s house far below. And I watched three big black crows alight on some electrical wires just beyond David’s balcony. Squawking to each other, they looked out upon the world as if they owned it. And who knows? Maybe they did.

I sat there, quietly sipping coffee, watching three crows from the balcony of the man who co-wrote the screenplay to The Crow, and smiling at the universe’s little joke. Then Kasey Lansdale swept in like the Looney Tunes Tasmanian Devil, and the spell was broken, and the coffee was finished, and we headed out to the next signing—at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in San Diego.Continue Reading

‘Con’ Man: Adam Cesare on Fans, Cons and ‘The Con Season’

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories InterviewsTags , , , , Leave a comment on ‘Con’ Man: Adam Cesare on Fans, Cons and ‘The Con Season’

‘Con’ Man: Adam Cesare on Fans, Cons
and ‘The Con Season’

ConSeasonAdam Cesare’s new novel, The Con Season, is available to read for free right now—well, the first couple of chapters, anyway. If you want to read the rest, you first have to do your part in helping it get published.

Like many authors (such as Norman Prentiss), Cesare is testing the waters of the Kindle Scout program with his latest work. Readers can check out a portion of the book and throw a nomination its way if they would like to see it published. Cesare talks more about the program in our interview, but suffice to say that it’s another innovative approach to publishing made possible by today’s technology.

You can check out The Con Season at Amazon, but before you do, take a few moments and enjoy this chat with Cesare, who talks about the slightly unreal world of horror conventions, the mindset of horror film and literature fandom, and much more.
Continue Reading

Ramsey Campbell on bookstores, scary limericks, and ‘The Booking’

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories InterviewsTags , , , , , 1 Comment on Ramsey Campbell on bookstores, scary limericks, and ‘The Booking’

Ramsey Campbell on bookstores, scary limericks, and ‘The Booking’

booking-cover-mockupFor the third book in the Black Labyrinth line of psychological suspense novellas, Chris Morey, owner/publisher of Dark Regions Press, turned to a master of the form: Ramsey Campbell. It was a move Morey has long envisioned making.

“Ramsey Campbell was a must for the Black Labyrinth imprint,” Morey said. “I knew I wanted an original piece from Ramsey for the imprint on the day that the imprint first materialized.”

Morey got his wish, and earlier this week the preorder period for Campbell’s The Booking began. The story sounds like classic Campbell:

Kiefer is desperate for a job when he comes upon an opening at a curious bookstore in England, BOOKS ARE LIFE. He approaches the owner for a job and gets it, learning quickly that the owner is stranger than the books that he sells in the shop. As he continues to help the bookstore’s transition to the internet, he discovers oddities in the shop and has increasingly strange visions and encounters.

We here at Cemetery Dance Online were honored to get a few words from Campbell on The Booking and its inspiration.

Continue Reading

Ramsey Campbell on bookstores, scary limericks, and 'The Booking'

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories InterviewsTags , , , , , Leave a comment on Ramsey Campbell on bookstores, scary limericks, and 'The Booking'

Ramsey Campbell on bookstores, scary limericks, and ‘The Booking’

booking-cover-mockupFor the third book in the Black Labyrinth line of psychological suspense novellas, Chris Morey, owner/publisher of Dark Regions Press, turned to a master of the form: Ramsey Campbell. It was a move Morey has long envisioned making.

“Ramsey Campbell was a must for the Black Labyrinth imprint,” Morey said. “I knew I wanted an original piece from Ramsey for the imprint on the day that the imprint first materialized.”

Morey got his wish, and earlier this week the preorder period for Campbell’s The Booking began. The story sounds like classic Campbell:

Kiefer is desperate for a job when he comes upon an opening at a curious bookstore in England, BOOKS ARE LIFE. He approaches the owner for a job and gets it, learning quickly that the owner is stranger than the books that he sells in the shop. As he continues to help the bookstore’s transition to the internet, he discovers oddities in the shop and has increasingly strange visions and encounters.

We here at Cemetery Dance Online were honored to get a few words from Campbell on The Booking and its inspiration.

Continue Reading

Horror Drive-In vs. ‘The Conjuring 2’

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories Horror Drive-InTags , , , , , 1 Comment on Horror Drive-In vs. ‘The Conjuring 2’

HorrorDrive-In-web

Horror Drive-In vs. The Conjuring 2

Conjuring2Poster1I try. I really do. I want to like every horror movie I see. Every book I pick up. I know I can be a curmudgeon, but I have never gone into something with the intention of trashing it.

And yet I am disappointed all too often. Not only am I disappointed, I usually seem to be on the opposite end of the opinion spectrum than most.

Case in point: The Conjuring 2. A movie that is earning a lot of positive buzz. According to Rotten Tomatoes, this sequel is being well received by the critics. Well, I’ve always maintained that your average movie critic hasn’t a clue as to what constitutes quality horror.

I didn’t mind The Conjuring. I thought the first half had some extremely effective moments. Director James Wan has shown skill at establishing and maintaining tension and dread in his movies. The second half of The Conjuring? Well, it all became kind of silly once the cat was out of the bag and we began to see physical manifestations of the haunting.Continue Reading

Horror Drive-In vs. 'The Conjuring 2'

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories Horror Drive-InTags , , , , , 1 Comment on Horror Drive-In vs. 'The Conjuring 2'

HorrorDrive-In-web

Horror Drive-In vs. The Conjuring 2

Conjuring2Poster1I try. I really do. I want to like every horror movie I see. Every book I pick up. I know I can be a curmudgeon, but I have never gone into something with the intention of trashing it.

And yet I am disappointed all too often. Not only am I disappointed, I usually seem to be on the opposite end of the opinion spectrum than most.

Case in point: The Conjuring 2. A movie that is earning a lot of positive buzz. According to Rotten Tomatoes, this sequel is being well received by the critics. Well, I’ve always maintained that your average movie critic hasn’t a clue as to what constitutes quality horror.

I didn’t mind The Conjuring. I thought the first half had some extremely effective moments. Director James Wan has shown skill at establishing and maintaining tension and dread in his movies. The second half of The Conjuring? Well, it all became kind of silly once the cat was out of the bag and we began to see physical manifestations of the haunting.Continue Reading

Review: ‘The Devil’s Evidence’ by Simon Kurt Unsworth

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsTags , , , , Leave a comment on Review: ‘The Devil’s Evidence’ by Simon Kurt Unsworth

devilsevidenceThe Devil’s Evidence by Simon Kurt Unsworth
Doubleday (July 2016)
400 pages; $20.34 hardcover; $12.99 e-book
Reviewed by Frank Michaels Errington

Thomas Fool, The Devil’s Detective, is an Information Man and a human among demons. Fool is the Commander of the Information Office, a position in Hell for which he gets little respect. Along comes a new department in Hell, The Evidence, headed by Mr. Tap. All they seem to do is get in the way of the Information Men: 

They didn’t investigate, they simply tore things apart and reached conclusions that made little or no sense, and then executed justice on the spot.

Continue Reading

Review: 'The Devil's Evidence' by Simon Kurt Unsworth

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsTags , , , , Leave a comment on Review: 'The Devil's Evidence' by Simon Kurt Unsworth

devilsevidenceThe Devil’s Evidence by Simon Kurt Unsworth
Doubleday (July 2016)
400 pages; $20.34 hardcover; $12.99 e-book
Reviewed by Frank Michaels Errington

Thomas Fool, The Devil’s Detective, is an Information Man and a human among demons. Fool is the Commander of the Information Office, a position in Hell for which he gets little respect. Along comes a new department in Hell, The Evidence, headed by Mr. Tap. All they seem to do is get in the way of the Information Men: 

They didn’t investigate, they simply tore things apart and reached conclusions that made little or no sense, and then executed justice on the spot.

Continue Reading

A Brief Walking Tour of Burbank’s “Horror Row”

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories Brian Keene's End of the RoadTags , , , 1 Comment on A Brief Walking Tour of Burbank’s “Horror Row”

EndofRoad-web

A Brief Walking Tour of Burbank’s Horror Row

Kasey Lansdale and Brian inside Dark Delicacies. (Photo Copyright 2016 Brian Keene)
Kasey Lansdale and Brian inside Dark Delicacies.
(Photo Copyright 2016 Brian Keene)

Unbeknownst to most fans of the horror genre, there is a two block stretch of Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank, California that serves as “Horror Row.” What follows is a brief walking tour for those wishing to experience it.

We start at 3512 West Magnolia Boulevard, the current address of Dark Delicacies. In business since 1994, Dark Delicacies—operated by Del and Sue Howison—sells horror novels, horror non-fiction, horror vinyl, horror movies, horror toys, and horror-themed clothing and accessories. It’s a popular hang-out and social spot for Los Angeles-based horror professionals, many of whom a visitor might happen to spot browsing the shelves. Dark Delicacies hosts in-store signings with authors, actors, directors, and musicians on a weekly basis. Their book selection in unbeatable—used mass-market paperbacks, new trade paperbacks, signed limited edition hardcovers, and offerings from both the mainstream and the small press. They are also a New York Times bestseller list reporting store, meaning strong sales there can boost a horror novel’s success. More importantly, Del and Sue make sure that every visitor to the store feels welcomed and special.Continue Reading

A Brief Walking Tour of Burbank's "Horror Row"

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories Brian Keene's End of the RoadTags , , , 1 Comment on A Brief Walking Tour of Burbank's "Horror Row"

EndofRoad-web

A Brief Walking Tour of Burbank’s Horror Row

Kasey Lansdale and Brian inside Dark Delicacies. (Photo Copyright 2016 Brian Keene)
Kasey Lansdale and Brian inside Dark Delicacies.
(Photo Copyright 2016 Brian Keene)

Unbeknownst to most fans of the horror genre, there is a two block stretch of Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank, California that serves as “Horror Row.” What follows is a brief walking tour for those wishing to experience it.

We start at 3512 West Magnolia Boulevard, the current address of Dark Delicacies. In business since 1994, Dark Delicacies—operated by Del and Sue Howison—sells horror novels, horror non-fiction, horror vinyl, horror movies, horror toys, and horror-themed clothing and accessories. It’s a popular hang-out and social spot for Los Angeles-based horror professionals, many of whom a visitor might happen to spot browsing the shelves. Dark Delicacies hosts in-store signings with authors, actors, directors, and musicians on a weekly basis. Their book selection in unbeatable—used mass-market paperbacks, new trade paperbacks, signed limited edition hardcovers, and offerings from both the mainstream and the small press. They are also a New York Times bestseller list reporting store, meaning strong sales there can boost a horror novel’s success. More importantly, Del and Sue make sure that every visitor to the store feels welcomed and special.Continue Reading

An Abundance of Bourbon, or, “Whiskey River Take Me Home”

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories Brian Keene's End of the RoadTags , , , 2 Comments on An Abundance of Bourbon, or, “Whiskey River Take Me Home”

EndofRoad-web

An Abundance of Bourbon, or, “Whiskey River Take Me Home”

Road
Brian and Del Howison of Dark Delicacies. (Photo Copyright 2016 Brian Keene)

On Wednesday morning, I woke up in Los Angeles, forgetting that I was still on East Coast time. I stumbled outside in search of coffee and couldn’t understand why it was still dark. Then I fumbled for my phone and glanced at the time and saw that it was only four in the morning. The only people awake were the homeless—and they weren’t nocturnal by choice. They were just out to beat the heat.

Los Angeles is a city that runs on automobiles. Seriously. You can’t get anywhere in Los Angeles without a car, and in truth, because of gridlock, you can’t get anywhere with a car, either. I’m told that the city offers public transit, but much like Bigfoot, Chupacabra, and Dean Koontz novels that don’t feature a dog, I have never seen it. Continue Reading

An Abundance of Bourbon, or, "Whiskey River Take Me Home"

Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories Brian Keene's End of the RoadTags , , , 2 Comments on An Abundance of Bourbon, or, "Whiskey River Take Me Home"

EndofRoad-web

An Abundance of Bourbon, or, “Whiskey River Take Me Home”

Road
Brian and Del Howison of Dark Delicacies. (Photo Copyright 2016 Brian Keene)

On Wednesday morning, I woke up in Los Angeles, forgetting that I was still on East Coast time. I stumbled outside in search of coffee and couldn’t understand why it was still dark. Then I fumbled for my phone and glanced at the time and saw that it was only four in the morning. The only people awake were the homeless—and they weren’t nocturnal by choice. They were just out to beat the heat.

Los Angeles is a city that runs on automobiles. Seriously. You can’t get anywhere in Los Angeles without a car, and in truth, because of gridlock, you can’t get anywhere with a car, either. I’m told that the city offers public transit, but much like Bigfoot, Chupacabra, and Dean Koontz novels that don’t feature a dog, I have never seen it. Continue Reading

Stephen King: News from the Dead Zone #192

Author Bev VincentPosted on Categories Stephen King News from the Dead ZoneTags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment on Stephen King: News from the Dead Zone #192

We’ve been spoiled in recent years by getting two novels from Stephen King. 2016 will see the end of that streak. The recently published End of Watch is the only book from King we’ll see this year. Later this fall, though, we’ll get Hearts in Suspension, edited by Jim Bishop, a collection of essays by King and others about his time as a student at the University of Maine. The publisher says that King’s essay is quite long (the longest of the set of about ten essays by various authors), and that the essay is “funny, truthful, and an involved work about Steve’s experiences during the 60’s, 70’s and the anti-war work of the Vietnam era, and so much more.”Continue Reading

Norman Prentiss on “Odd Adventures with Your Other Father”

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Norman Prentiss on Odd Adventures with Your Other Father

Author Norman Prentiss has taken his decidedly unconventional road trip/horror novel, Odd Adventures with Your Other Father, and brought it to audiences via a new, non-traditional publishing route: the Kindle Scout program. A little over a month after its official publication on May 31, it looks like the book—and Prentiss’s chosen method of publication—can be called a success: early readers responded favorably to the book, and now it’s opening up new audiences for the talented author. Recently, Prentiss took a few moments to speak to Cemetery Dance Online about his recent Odd Adventures.

(Interview conducted by Blu Gilliand)Continue Reading