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King of Crime Part II — Hard Case Crime and Beyond

Bev VincentFebruary 23, 2021February 28, 2021Stephen King News from the Dead ZoneBev Vincent, Billy Summers, Charles Ardai, Columns, end of watch, Finders Keepers, From A Buick 8, Hard Case Crime, If it Bleeds, Joyland, Later, Mr. Mercedes, News from the Dead Zone, Stephen King, The Colorado Kid, The OutsiderLeave a comment

King of Crime: Part II — Hard Case Crime and Beyond

Next week — on March 2^nd, 2021 to be specific — Hard Case Crime will publish their third Stephen King novel, Later. Although King is generally thought of as a horror writer, he has written numerous crime short stories, novellas and novels, giving them a unique twist. In Part 1 of this three-part series, I looked at King’s earliest involvement with crime fiction. This week, I’ll explore his more recent writings in the genre, including his previous two books with Hard Case Crime and the Mercedes series. Then, on publication day, I’ll review Later and look ahead to King’s next crime novel, Billy Summers.

From the Inner Mind to the Outer Limits by Joseph Stefano: New Signed Limited Edition Hardcover

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 22, 2021February 22, 2021Breaking NewsLeave a comment

We have a few copies left to offer of the new Limited Edition of From the Inner Mind to the Outer Limits by Joseph Stefano from Gauntlet Press, but these won’t last long!

About the Book:
Gauntlet presents Joseph Stefano’s scripts from the classic ABC television anthology series The Outer Limits. Stefano had a very distinct vision for an Outer Limits episode and these manuscripts will showcase these timeless tales from the writer’s perspective. All of the manuscripts included in this edition originated from the personal archives of Joseph Stefano. Featuring some of the greatest Gothic Science Fiction stories ever written, this edition will showcase the cherished legacy of this gifted writer. The numbered edition will be signed by Dominic Stefano, the son of Joseph Stefano, and editor Dave Rash.

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

Review: Shiver by Junji Ito

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 22, 2021February 21, 2021Reviews, The Comic VaultDanica Davidson, Graven Images, Junji Ito, Reviews, ShiverLeave a comment

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cover of shiver by junji ito

Shiver by Junji Ito
VIZ Media (December 2017)
400 pages; $22.99 hardcover, $15.99 ebook
Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Junji Ito is one of Japan’s top horror manga creators. His short story collection Shiver — which at almost 400 pages of length is longer than average for manga — gives a glimpses into what makes him so popular.Continue Reading

The Fade by James Cooper: Surprise New Release Shipping Soon!

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 19, 2021February 22, 2021Breaking NewsLeave a comment

Meet Philip: a young boy with a desire to self-destruct. His family thinks he’s a monster, but that’s okay. Monsters are usually destroyed in the final act, and Philip knows that’s exactly how he’ll end up. A pale corpse, rotting in the wind…

Hilary Bunce feels like a monster, too. His dysfunctional family is unbearable, turning him into a shadow of the man he really is, lost and afraid, with little awareness of the emerging horror he is about to confront.

The world isn’t designed for people like Philip and Hilary. That’s why they each like to visit the Fade, an empty landscape of desert and rolling hills that seems to float beyond existence itself, accessible to only a privileged few, where all the world’s misery and loneliness dissolves.

But the Fade is not as empty or as isolated as it appears. A tall, thin man named Pappy stalks the desert carrying a large burlap sack. His job is to clean up the Fade. He lives in a grey house on top of a hill, eternally watchful, forever alert. And he will do whatever it takes to rid his kingdom of disease…

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

Mother Horror’s Top Twenty Horror Books Written by Women

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 19, 2021February 19, 2021EssaysEssays, Mother Horror, Sadie Hartmann, Women in Horror MonthLeave a comment

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February is Women in Horror Month. Officially. But unofficially, genre buffs read horror fiction all year. It’s not even something to consider or be super intentional about, but of course the focused, extra attention women get during WiHM is important.

Eventually, the Women in Horror Month movement will take off in a more expansive direction allowing people to promote WiHM whenever and however they desire. But for now, it’s important to join together and amplify women who write horror loudly and proudly with a unified voice this month.Continue Reading

On This, the Day of the Pig by Josh Malerman: Surprise Lettered Edition Available Now!

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 18, 2021February 22, 2021Breaking NewsLeave a comment

On This, the Day of the Pig
by Josh Malerman
Surprise Lettered Edition Available Now!

In case you missed the news, we’re pleased to tell you about the surprise Lettered Edition of Josh Malerman’s On This, the Day of the Pig that we’ve produced in collaboration with our friends at Earthling Publications!

Originally published in 2019 as a signed and numbered edition, Earthling Publications has produced this 26-copy traycased edition, and it is now FINISHED and ready to ship!

Earthling is handling all the order processing and shipping for this unique special edition, and you can order directly from them while supplies last. Please head over to their website for additional details about this special edition and to contact them if you’re interested in adding this beautiful collectible to your collection!

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

Review: Wicked Women: An Anthology by The New England Horror Writers

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 17, 2021February 14, 2021ReviewsDave Simms, New England Horror Writers, Reviews, Wicked WomenLeave a comment

cover of Wicked Women showing a witch-like character Wicked Women: An Anthology by The New England Horror Writers edited by Trisha J. Wooldridge & Scott E. Goudsward
NEHW Press (November 2020)
242 pages; paperback $14.99; e-book $4.99
Reviewed by Dave Simms

February is Women in Horror Month, a time to celebrate those who have altered the dark landscape and pioneered the path forward into nightmares anew and fresh trails into the abyss. Note: this shouldn’t just be one month — it’s tough to highlight all of the new stars in the genre while looking back to those who paved the way.Continue Reading

King of Crime Part I — The Earlier Years

Bev VincentFebruary 16, 2021February 14, 2021Stephen King News from the Dead Zone11/22/63, A Good Marriage, Bag of Bones, Bev Vincent, Billy Summers, Charles Ardai, Columns, Creepshow, Dolan's Cadillac, Full Dark, Hard Case Crime, Joyland, Later, Mr. Mercedes, News from the Dead Zone, No Stars, Richard Bachman, Stephen King, The Colorado Kid, The Dark Half, The Dead Zone, The Doctor's Case, The Fifth Quarter, The Green Mile, Umney's Last CaseLeave a comment

King of Crime: Part I — The Earlier Years

In a couple of weeks—on March 2^nd, 2021, to be specific—Hard Case Crime will publish their third Stephen King novel, Later. Although King is generally thought of as a horror writer, he has written numerous crime short stories, novellas and novels, giving them a unique twist. In Part 1 of a three-part series, I look at King’s earliest involvement with crime fiction[1]. Next week, I’ll explore his more recent writings in the genre, including his previous two books with Hard Case Crime and the Mercedes series. Then, on publication day, I’ll review Later and look ahead to King’s next crime novel, Billy Summers.Continue Reading

Review: Many Restless Concerns by Gayle Brandeis

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 15, 2021February 14, 2021ReviewsBlack Lawrence Press, Gayle Brandeis, Joshua Gage, Many Restless Concerns, ReviewsLeave a comment

cover of Many Restless Concerns by Gayle Brandeis Many Restless Concerns by Gayle Brandeis
Black Lawrence Press (February 14, 2020)
160 pages; $17.95 paperback
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Most horror readers are familiar with Elizabeth Batharoy, one of history’s most famous murderers and the source of much vampire lore. Much less is known about her victims, which leads readers and historians to a lot of speculation as to who these young women were and what drew them towards Batharoy’s clutches. In her newest poetry collection, Many Restless Concerns, Gayle Brandeis uses hybrid text techniques to give voice to these victims, channeling the idea of a collective voice, or chorus, as the persona in this really dark and enticing collection.Continue Reading

Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #1

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 12, 2021February 11, 2021The Comic VaultAhoy Comics, Columns, Danica Davidson, Edgar Allan Poe, Snifter of Blood, The Comic VaultLeave a comment

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cover of Edgar Allan Poe's Snifter of Blood 1 Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood #1
Ahoy! Comics (October 2020)
32 pages; $4.99
Reviewed by Danica Davidson

Following their Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Terror line of comics, Ahoy Comics is releasing Edgar Allan Poe’s Snifter of Blood. These are all anthology comics, so people can start reading them anywhere in the series.

The first issue of Snifter of Blood contains the stories “The Black Dog,” “Atlas Shrugged,” “Werewolf Hangover,” “Finally,” and “Deep Cover.” The first two are comics with sequential art, and the last three are flash fiction with an introductory illustration. While each story has something of its own tone, they all similarly have twist endings and moments of humor in the midst of horror. Edgar Allan Poe, like the Crypt Keeper for Tales from the Crypt, gives some commentary and introductions to stories.Continue Reading

Review: The House that Fell from the Sky by Patrick Delaney

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 11, 2021February 10, 2021ReviewsDave Simms, Oblivion Publishing, Patrick Delaney, Reviews, The House that Fell from the SkyLeave a comment

cover of The House that Fell from the Sky by Patrick Delaney The House that Fell from the Sky by Patrick Delaney
Oblivion Publishing (September 2020)
566 pages; $28.99 hardcover; $17.99 paperback; $2.99 e-book
Reviewed by Dave Simms

This is a great fall book — perfectly placed for those who miss the weird horror of Ray Bradbury and Bentley Little but are aching for something new. Patrick Delaney has arrived with a strong entry into horror that is tough to classify here — is it weird horror, cosmic horror, or something else? Read on. The journey (quite long at 566 pages) is a wild and rewarding one.Continue Reading

Review: Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 8, 2021February 2, 2021ReviewsHearts Strange and Dreadful, Mother Horror, Off Limits Press, Reviews, Sadie Hartmann, Tim McGregorLeave a comment

Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor
Off Limits Press (February 15, 2021)
276 pages; $16 paperback; $6.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann

My favorite book series for the longest time was “The Little House” books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. These books were set in the American Midwest in the late 1800s.
Hearts Strange and Dreadful transports us to New England in 1821 and I, for one, could not have been more eager to make the trip back in time to this familiar era.Continue Reading

Billy Summers by Stephen King: A Brand New Novel About A Killer For Hire!

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 5, 2021Breaking NewsLeave a comment

Billy Summers
by Stephen King
A Brand New Novel About A Killer For Hire!

Stephen King’s JUST ANNOUNCED new novel is called Billy Summers, and it concerns a killer for hire who is the best in the business, but he’ll do the job only if the target is a truly bad guy. And now Billy wants out. But first, there is one last hit…

Billy is among the best snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, a Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done. So what could possibly go wrong?

How about everything.

Part war story, part love letter to small town America and the people who live there, Billy Summers features one of the most compelling and surprising duos in Stephen King fiction, who set out to avenge the crimes of an extraordinarily evil man. It’s about love, luck, fate, and a complex hero with one last shot at redemption.

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

Revelations: The Horror Radio of Quiet, Please!

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 5, 2021January 31, 2021RevelationsColumns, Danse Macabre, Horror, Kevin Lucia, Quiet Please, radio, RevelationsLeave a comment

Banner for Revelations, the column written by Kevin Lucia for Cemetery Dance

I apologize for my absence. This past summer I had major reconstructive surgery on my foot. Unfortunately, it took a lot out of me. However, I’m ready to resume my exploration of the works of horror which have played a role in my development as a writer, so I hope you’ll rejoin me on this journey.

For those new to this column, it began several years ago as I began reflecting on an experience which sent me on a quest through the works of horror writers who came before me. Up until then, I’d been a faithful reader of the Holy Trinity: Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and Peter Straub. Also, whatever Leisure Fiction was putting out at the time. However, after that fateful evening with F. Paul Wilson, Tom Monteleone, and Stuart David Schiff, I began searching out writers who had previously been only names to me, and nothing more.Continue Reading

Review: Devil’s Night: Bite-Sized Horror for Halloween by Pippa Bailey and Myk Pilgrim

Cemetery Dance OnlineFebruary 3, 2021January 31, 2021ReviewsAnton Cancre, Bite-Sized Horror for Halloween, Devil's Night, Myk Pilgrim, Pippa Bailey, Pugnacious Press, ReviewsLeave a comment

Devil’s Night: Bite-Sized Horror for Halloween by Pippa Bailey and Myk Pilgrim
Pugnacious Press (May 2020)
111 pages; $9.99 paperback; $2.99 e-book
Reviewed by Anton Cancre

I generally don’t spend time talking about the personalities of writers when reviewing their work. Here, though, personality is the point of the whole thing. Pippa Bailey and Myk Pilgrim have established themselves as playful, boisterous members of the horror community over the years they have been a part of it. They walk that line between the dark and the heart and the weird little dancey places in between very well and it comes across clearly that this is just who they are.Continue Reading

King of Crime: Part II — Hard Case Crime and Beyond

King of Crime: Part I — The Earlier Years

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