Review: Coffin Honey by Todd Davis

cover of Coffin Honey by Todd DavisCoffin Honey by Todd Davis
Michigan State University Press (February 1, 2022)
147 pages; $19.95 paperback
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

In Coffin Honey, Todd Davis explores themes of violence and how people hurt each other. The book is broken into sections, each one reading like a short story told in narrative poems, which makes for some haunting connections between the poems. For example, the first section contains the poem “Taxidermy: Cathartes Aura” with lines like:

The bird’s spiraling descent
was unexpected, like when
his uncle touched him
in the cellar as he shoveled
coal for winter, telling him
he couldn’t have the fried
doughnuts sprinkled
with confectioner’s sugar
if he screamed
or told his mother.

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Review: Exposed Nerves by Lucy A. Snyder

cover of exposed nerves by lucy snyderExposed Nerves by Lucy A. Snyder
Raw Dog Screaming Press (September 2021)
114 pages; paperback $12.95; $5.99 e-book
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Exposed Nerves is a collection of feminist horror poems, mostly in the narrative or lyric vein. Lucy A. Snyder excels at taking a known trope — the big bad wolf in “Wolf Waltz” or rapists in “My Neighbor Defends Her Champion” — and flipping the perspective. A lot of these poems use their subjects to make social commentary, which is one of the main purposes of horror. Snyder often takes the women in her poems and allows them to triumph over evil. In “turnt,” for example, a teenage girl is lured into a older boy’s automobile until she can’t help but turning into a ferocious beast:

pulse hammering inside the secluded car
skin splitting over hairy muscle, scarlet claws
and he’s screaming, wailing like he’s burning

Here the hunted becomes the hunter, and while the idea of a teenage werewolf is certainly nothing new, Snyder’s imagery and metaphorical language makes the redemptive story fresh and interesting for readers. 

There are times when Snyder’s poems, however, seem to teeter into weak craft decisions. “The Unforgiving King,” for example, has stanzas that seem based on a haiku “syllable count” (which is, of course, a linguistic misunderstanding that has been disputed and disproven by poetry scholars) but show no understanding of how the haiku form works. “The Invisible Woman,” a poem written with Gary A. Braunbeck, suffers from weak lines and poorly executed line breaks, but its strong imagery and overriding metaphor overwhelm its flawed structure. How much of this is Snyder’s fault or just poor curation or editing one can’t tell, but these flaws are few and far between, and the collection doesn’t suffer greatly because of them.

Overall, Exposed Nerves by Lucy A. Snyder is a relatively strong collection of feminist horror poems. While there are a few misses, most of the poems stand up to scrutiny and the overarching themes within the collection — angry defiance against a threatening patriarchy and a thirst for revenge and justice — are current and necessary. This is a solid collection of horror poetry which readers will very much enjoy.

New eBook Available Now! Gloria by Bentley Little

Gloria
by Bentley Little

Now Available As An eBook!

Hi Folks!

We’re pleased to announce that Bentley Little’s brand new novel Gloria is now available as an eBook, and this one is strange and wonderful in that perfectly Bentley Little way! Here are some quick links for ordering:

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

About the Book:
Considering she had just attended her mother’s funeral, Gloria Jaymes never expected to see the woman again, but then her dead mom shows up at her house.

Gloria’s mom is… different. She’s younger than when she died, dressed in clothes from the 1980s. And nobody else in Gloria’s family seems to recognize her.

As Gloria tries to figure out the reason for her mother’s reappearance — and the odd behaviors the woman begins to exhibit — other bizarre events occur. The changes to Gloria’s world are small and subtle, at first… then they become much more startling.

The freaky situation might just be connected to a mysterious shed in a small California town. The strangers who gather around the shed seem to know Gloria’s name… and maybe they aren’t strangers after all.

With Gloria, Bentley Little presents one of his most complex and compelling novels — one that is certain to surprise readers on every page.

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Read more and place your order for the hardcover while our supplies last!

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

Review: Mestiza Blood by V. Castro

cover of Mestiza Blood by V. CastroMestiza Blood by V. Castro
Flame Tree Press (January 25, 2022)
240 pages; $26.95 hardcover; $16.95 paperback; $6.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann

After a string of successful releases, Hairspray & Switchblades (Unnerving Press) Goddess of Filth (Creature Publishing) and Queen of the Cicadas (Flame Tree Press) V. Castro unleashes her first short story collection, Mestiza Blood.

A short story collection of nightmares, dreams, desires, & visions of the chicana experience

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NEW BOOK ANNOUNCED: A Face in the Crowd & The Longest December by Stephen King, Stewart O’Nan, and Richard Chizmar

A Face in the Crowd & The Longest December
by Stephen King, Stewart O’Nan, and Richard Chizmar

Brand New Cemetery Dance Publications Exclusive Hardcover!

Cemetery Dance Publications is pleased to report we have a brand new project with Stephen King, Stewart O’Nan, and Richard Chizmar in the works, and it’s going to be something special!

We’ll be publishing A Face in the Crowd by Stephen King and Stewart O’Nan (first time in hardcover) and The Longest December by Richard Chizmar (extended version) together as a hardcover in the style of the old Ace Doubles. Two novellas in one book! Read one story and when you’re done, just flip the book over and read the other. There are two “front covers” and a unique design, so it’s a really fun concept.

There will be cover artwork for BOTH sides by Ben Baldwin (the Gwendy series), interior artwork by Mark Edward Geyer (The Green Mile), and exclusive artwork for the special editions by François Vaillancourt (Revival).

In addition to a trade hardcover edition for the bookstores, there will also be an artist signed Artist Gift Edition, which is already selling very quickly! Please don’t wait if you want one because that edition will not last long!

Read more on our website and place your order now to lock-in your copy!

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

Review: The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

posed bookstagram photo featuring The Last House on Needless Street
Photo: Haley Newlin

The Last House On Needless Street by Catriona Ward 
Tor Night Fire (September 2021)
352 pages; $24.79 audiobook,  $19.29 paperback, $14.99 ebook
Reviewed by Haley Newlin

Catriona Ward’s The Last House on Needless Street promises a serial killer, a kidnapped child, a religious cat, and falsities scattered in every direction — one misstep and the trap snaps.
The main character, Ted, carries childhood trauma, a strange attachment to his abusive mother, and a dangerous, twisted side that reminds me of the real-world serial killer, Ed Gein, who went on to inspire characters like Norman Bates and Thomas Harris’ Buffalo Bill.

Review: Burner by Robert Ford

cover of Burner by Robert FordBurner by Robert Ford
Blurred Images Press (November 2020)
230 pages; $12.99 paperback; $.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann

In Burner by Robert Ford, readers are introduced to two characters, Iris and Audrey. We follow their story through “then” and “now” timelines told in short, bingeable chapters that switch back and forth between the two women.

If you read the preface, you will know that Burner deals with a heavy subject and has the potential to cause emotional trauma, so I recommend reading the preface. Bob Ford does a great job setting early expectations.Continue Reading

Review: Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

cover of Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-GarciaVelvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Del Rey (August 2021)
288 pages; hardcover $14; paperback $20.48; e-book $13.99
Reviewed by Haley Newlin

They were both angry at the world, that was why this was happening. It was a kiss of scorpions, both heavy with poison.

Once again, Silvia Moreno-Garcia exhibits the versatility of her eloquent storytelling in her noir/pulp fiction novel Velvet Was the Night.Continue Reading

Review: The Book of Maggor Thoom by James Turner

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cover of The Book of Maggor Thoom by James TurnerThe Book of Maggor Thoom by James Turner
SLG Publishing (September 2021)
164 pages; $14.95 paperback
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Beware, Mortal! You hold the forbidden book of Maggor Thoom, a text from beyond sanity! Read further and your puny ape-brain will boil inside your skull and your eyeballs melt into a steaming ooze. For I am a being of impossible thoughts, who dwells on the surface of Azathoth, the living black hole, the cosmic chaos!

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Revisiting T.E.D. Klein, The Ceremonies, and Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone Magazine

banner reading Horror Drive-In and Mark Sieber and Cemetery Dance

I like to read something special for a holiday. In 2020, deep in the pandemic, I spent a long week whiling over The Cider House Rules, a novel I read and absolutely loved when it first came out. I was considering what to read this year, when it occurred to me that I had not read T.E.D. Klein’s The Ceremonies since it was originally published. That was quite a few moons ago, and my memories about it were vague. The Ceremonies is a book that requires attention and a little patience, so a week off is the perfect time to indulge in it.Continue Reading

The Cemetery Dance Interview: Adam Nevill

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British horror is on fire right now and there are some authors whose work is just meant for adapting for the big screen. Adam Nevill is certainly one of those people. The hard-working, sea-loving master of fright was able to sit down and answer some of my burning questions.Continue Reading

Review: Cunning Folk by Adam L.G. Nevill

cover of cunning folk by adam nevillCunning Folk by Adam L.G. Nevill 
Ritual Limited (Sept. 13, 2021) 
336 pages; paperback $15.99, ebook $4.99
Reviewed by Haley Newlin

I immediately knew Adam Nevill’s writing style, and storytelling was for me within the first few chapters of Cunning Folk.

Nevill opens with a horrific scene of a man which readers can only guess spells misfortune for the protagonist, Tom, and his family (wife Fiona and daughter Gracey).

Nevill then takes us to present day, where Tom‘s family arrives at their new home in rural Southwest England. The property is a massive but ruinous-looking house, one in which the tragic history and condition made affordable.

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The Cemetery Dance Interview: The Hopes and Miracles of Tyson Blue

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Tyson Blue
Tyson Blue

Attorney by profession, editor by passion, Tyson Blue’s name may not ring everyone’s bell, but his mark on the legacy of, arguably, two of the best film adaptations in cinematic history is here to stay. With Frank Darabont’s scripts for The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile in hand, Tyson Blue put together a commemorative masterpiece that’s built to act as a literary time capsule for these two endearing films.  

Sitting down with Tyson, we discussed his journey since he first wrote for the Castle Rock newsletter, an unlikely venture which began his trajectory towards the eventual publication of Hope And Miracles: The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile (Two Screenplays By Frank Darabont) decades later. Touching on his first-hand experience working on set of The Green Mile, his connection to Frank Darabont, the massive efforts required to put it all together and everything in between, it’s time to discover why the latest specialty release from Gauntlet Press is worth its considerable weight in hope and miracles and what it means to the legacy of the films it represents. Continue Reading

Infinity Dreams by Glen Hirshberg: Trade Paperback Shipping Now!

We’re very pleased to announce Infinity Dreams by Glen Hirshberg is now in-stock and shipping!

About the Book:
There are people who collect coins, baseball cards, flashlights. They trade and sell them at conventions, flea markets, antique malls.

Those are not the people Nadine and Normal (a.k.a. The Collector) serve, and those places are not where you’ll find them.

Their quests have led them to decidedly less familiar characters and locales:

  • A music obsessive who gives a little more than fandom—and takes a little more than music—from the artists he loves.
  • A bouquiniste stall along the Left Bank of the Seine that has remained locked—for good reason—for 150 years.
  • A box full of View-Master reels showing tiny photographs of places—some of which don’t exist.
  • A former Nazi-in-training, haunted—to the point of life-crippling paralysis—by a taste.

But now, Nadine lives sequestered in the Northern California woods, caring for the Collector, who has slid into early-onset dementia. One day, against her better judgment, she accepts an interview request from a young journalist. Who might not be a journalist. He has come for their stories.

Or maybe for something else.

Meanwhile, down the coast, in the cities, a wildness has gotten loose, and the world is tilting out of true, and the boundaries between reality and dream are not just blurring but melting.

But is that for better or worse? And who gets to say?

Welcome to Infinity Dreams, a novel-in-stories about dreaming your life, and living in dreams, and the permeable limbo we insist on calling reality.

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Read more and place your order while our supplies last!

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

Going to the (Creep)show with Joe Lynch

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Joe Lynch

I’m an avid believer in serendipity and I will never forget excitedly switching on Shudder to watch the latest episode of one of my favorite series, Creepshow, and seeing the segment was called “Pipe Screams,” which is the name of my own independent press. Joe Lynch is someone who I could talk to for hours about horror, his passion runs deep. And I was lucky enough to do just that!Continue Reading