Cemetery Dance Online

Review: Twelve – Poems Inspired by the Brothers Grimm Fairytale by Andrea Blythe

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 28, 2020August 22, 2020ReviewsAndrea Blythe, Brothers Grimm, Interstellar Flight Press, Joshua Gage, Reviews, TwelveLeave a comment

Twelve: Poems Inspired by the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale by Andrea Blythe
Interstellar Flight Press (September 7, 2020)
64 pages, $9.99 paperback; $5.99 e-book
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Andrea Blythe is a well-recognized name in speculative poetry. She is a widely published author, as well as a podcast host. Blythe is most known for her work with fairytales and folktales, and her newest collection, Twelve, based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale of the twelve dancing princesses, is a potent and exquisite addition to her already impressive body of work. Continue Reading

Interview: Into the Cornfield with Adam Cesare

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 25, 2020August 22, 2020InterviewsAdam Cesare, Blu Gilliand, Clown in a Cornfield, InterviewsLeave a comment

cover of Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare, showing a red clown face in a field of corn Adam Cesare, author and Cemetery Dance columnist, has been a fixture on the horror scene for nearly a decade. Early books like Video Night and All-Night Terror made him an instant favorite among fans of horror fiction, and he’s continued developing his skill and style with books like The Con Season and The First One You Expect.

His new novel, Clown in a Cornfield, is generating the sort of next-level buzz those of us who’ve been reading Cesare’s work since the beginning have been expecting. Adam was kind enough to take time during a busy book-launch week to talk with his old Cemetery Dance editor, who may or may not have taken the opportunity to press him relentlessly about writing for us again….but mainly asked him questions about the new book.Continue Reading

Review: The Residence by Andrew Pyper

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 24, 2020August 22, 2020ReviewsAndrew Pyper, Mother Horror, Reviews, Sadie Hartmann, Skybound Books, The ResidenceLeave a comment

The Residence by Andrew Pyper
Skybound Books (September 1, 2020)
352 pages; $26 hardcover; $13.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann

When I first saw the cover of The Residence, I was skeptical. A ghost story set in the White House? It seemed ambitious. I have a lot of feelings about residents that are currently haunting the White House but none of them are paranormal entities.

Still, the idea was tantalizing so I put in my request to review.Continue Reading

Dead Air: An Interview with the Creators of The Kingcast

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 21, 2020August 16, 2020Dead Air, InterviewsBlu Gilliand, Columns, Dead Air, Eric Vespe, Interviews, Scott Wampler, The KingcastLeave a comment

banner for Cemetery Dance's Dead Air column - neon green background with black writing

Not too long ago, journalists Eric Vespe (formerly of Ain’t It Cool News, among others) and Scott Wampler (formerly of birth.movies.death, among others), got together to discuss an idea that would evolve into “a Stephen King podcast for Stephen King obsessives.” The Kingcast invites guests from the entertainment industry to discuss the King novel or short story of their choosing, along with the film or television adaptation of that work.

Over the past few months, The Kingcast has hosted a variety of guests, including Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep) discussing 1408, Elijah Wood discussing Misery, Karyn Kusama discussing Carrie, and Damien Echols (who was wrongly convicted and jailed for murder largely due to his interest in heavy metal and horror) discussing the Dark Tower series.

Recently, the co-creators and hosts were kind enough to answer a few questions for Cemetery Dance.Continue Reading

Review: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 19, 2020August 15, 2020ReviewsJanelle Janson, Mexican Gothic, Reviews, Silvia Moreno-GarciaLeave a comment

cover of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia — *Mexican Gothic*, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Del Rey (June 2020)
320 pages; $16.20 hardcover; $11.99 e-book
Reviewed by Janelle Janson

Mexican Gothic has been hyped to the extreme for at least a year, so my expectations going in were high. And even though they were high, they were never unrealistic as I already knew Moreno-Garcia to be a talented writer. But when this book took an unexpected and interesting turn, combined with a surprising amount of gore, I knew I had found a winner.Continue Reading

Review: Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 17, 2020August 9, 2020ReviewsAdam Cesare, Clown in a Cornfield, Mother Horror, Reviews, Sadie HartmannLeave a comment

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare
HarperTeen (August 25, 2020)
352 pages; $17.99 hardcover; $9.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie Hartmann

The setting for Clown in a Cornfield is the fictional town of Kettle Springs, a rural town that sounds like good ol’ Nowheresville, USA. The townspeople seem caught in a time-warp where young people are to be seen and not heard, especially while the grown-ups are trying hard to “Make Kettle Springs Great Again.” Unfortunately for our protagonist, Quinn Maybrook, her father took a job in Kettle Springs and Quinn has no choice but to adjust to her new scene.Continue Reading

Review: Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals by Bitter Karella

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 14, 2020ReviewsAnton Cancre, Bitter Karella, Reviews, The Midnight Pals, The Midnight SocietyLeave a comment

Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals by Bitter Karella
Guttersnipe Publishing (2020)
99 pages; $25 paperback
Reviewed by Anton Cancre

I assume you know about @midnight_pals and The Midnight Society. If you dig horror literature, I don’t know how you could have missed it. You know, THE twitter gathering of great minds from across generations. Where Mary Shelley slaps the soul out of anyone pretending to the throne. That Midnight Society.

If you don’t know it, just look it up. I don’t have the space here and it is worth your time. This is the best literary satire currently going. And it is actually funny.

If you do, then I am sure, like me, you wanted to know why you should buy a book of stuff you can get online for free. But Bitter Karella has some treats in store for you here. Cute drawings that add to the lampooning of your favorite writers? Check. Plus additional faux stories from those authors we all love that really nail the silliness we all look past.

And if you want to find out about new horror talent, this is a surprisingly good place. Amid the gags at King and Barker and Lovecraft, there are pokes at the likes of Mary Sangiovanni (one of the bewb gags had me spitting while I sat on the toilet) and Betty Rocksteady, aka the sneaky snake of Canada that will rock your world.

The only downside is that orders can only be placed through direct contact via twitter at @midnight_pals but it is totally worth it.

Review: On Quiet Earth: A Zombie Apocalypse Novel by Chris Kelly

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 12, 2020August 9, 2020ReviewsChris Kelly, Joshua Gage, On Quiet Earth, Reviews, Severed Press, zombieLeave a comment

On Quiet Earth: A Zombie Apocalypse Novel by Chris Kelly
Severed Press (May 2020)
155 pages, $9.95 paperback
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

At first glance, On Quiet Earth reads like a typical zombie survivor novel. The plot is formulaic—survivors band together, try to outrun zombies, and live in a post-apocalyptic world. What makes Kelly’s take on this genre unique is his sparse prose which, coupled with the psychological aspects of the book, make for an interesting zombie read.Continue Reading

Cardinal Black Lettered Edition Photo Gallery

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 11, 2020January 21, 2021Photo GalleryLeave a comment

Here are some photos of the Deluxe Traycased Lettered Edition of Cardinal Black by Robert McCammon:

Review: Children of the Fang and Other Genealogies by John Langan

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 10, 2020August 10, 2020ReviewsChildren of the Fang, John Langan, Mother Horror, Reviews, Sadie HartmannLeave a comment

Children of the Fang and Other Genealogies by John Langan
Word Horde (August 18, 2020)
388 pages; $19.99 paperback; $9.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie Hartmann

First things first, the introduction to this book, written by Stephen Graham Jones, is so choice. Bonus points right away for mentioning one of my favorite childhood stories ever: The Monster at the End of This Book (narrated by your lovable ol’ pal, Grover).

Dr. Jones goes on to say, “John Langan, both delivering us some compelling horror but at the same time interrogating the basic form of horror.”Continue Reading

Review: A Complex Accident of Life by Jessica McHugh

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 7, 2020August 3, 2020ReviewsA Complex Accident of Life, Anton Cancre, Frankenstein, Jessica McHugh, Mary Shelley, ReviewsLeave a comment

A Complex Accident of Life: Blackout Poetry Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by Jessica McHugh
Apokrupha (June 2020)
104 pages; $18.99 paperback; $3.99 e-book
Reviewed by Anton Cancre

Writing poetry is a tough gig. Trying to put together poems from someone else’s words, even tougher. Putting together personal, meaningful poems from someone else’s words and using their location to make for impactful, visually appealing art seems nigh impossible. So, of course the inimitable Jessica McHugh has done just that.Continue Reading

If It Bleeds Special Collectors Bundle!

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 6, 2020January 21, 2021Breaking NewsLeave a comment

We have an incredible bundle for Stephen King collectors from our friends at the Overlook Connection!

This set includes two different art-based collectibles inspired by Stephen King’s most recent book, If It Bleeds, and not only is this deal discounted from the original retail price for purchasing these items separately, but you will receive MATCHING NUMBERS if you order via this bundle!

This Special Collectors Bundle Includes:

1) If It Bleeds Custom Signed Limited Edition Dust Jacket
2) If It Bleeds Signed Limited Edition Lithograph

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

Review: Crossroads by Laurel Hightower

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 5, 2020August 3, 2020ReviewsA.E. Siraki, Crossroads, Laurel Hightower, Off Limits Press, ReviewsLeave a comment

cover of Crossroads by Laurel Hightower Crossroads by Laurel Hightower
Off Limits Press (August 10, 2020)
93 pages; $12 hardcov $7.01 e-book
Reviewed by A.E. Siraki

Thomas Campbell famously remarked: “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” This proves painfully true in Crossroads, the newest release from rising horror superstar Laurel Hightower. Her previous novel, Whispers in the Dark (2018), garnered tons of well-deserved accolades. This time around, Crossroads explores a mother, Chris, mourning the loss of her son, Trey. There is plenty of real-life horror in that itself. Things take a turn toward the supernatural as Chris recalls the concept of a crossroads demon, like the one that Robert Johnson was famously rumored to have sold his soul to in exchange for musical success. Continue Reading

Review: The Living Dead by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 3, 2020August 2, 2020ReviewsDaniel Kraus, George Romero, Reviews, The Living Dead, zombieLeave a comment

cover of The Living Dead by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus The Living Dead by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus
Tor Books (August 4, 2020)
656 pages; $25.19 hardcover; $14.99 e-book
Reviewed by Blu Gilliand

George Romero’s impact on the horror genre cannot be overstated. It also cannot easily be summed up in a paragraph or two, so I won’t waste our time together. What I will tell you is that the things that made his work so impactful—the purity of his vision, the weaving of social commentary throughout his narratives, the unflinching approach to scenes of visceral horror—are preserved, upheld, and honored by the man chosen to finish Romero’s last work: Daniel Kraus.

Dead Trees: Dead Lines by John Skipp and Craig Spector

Cemetery Dance OnlineJuly 31, 2020July 22, 2020Dead TreesColumns, Craig Spector, Dead Lines, Dead Trees, John Skipp, Mark SieberLeave a comment

I first heard of and begin reading fiction from John Skipp and Craig Spector in the mid-1980s. That era is still my favorite period of the horror genre. Thanks to Stephen King, horror had been doing pretty big business, but by 1986 things were really getting wild. For most people it all started with Skipp and Spector’s The Light at the End, a new kind of horror novel, and a vampire story for a hip young readership.

The Light at the End was a radical departure from the horror fiction that came before it. Skipp and Spector’s characters were people I knew. People I partied with. There was influence from classic horror, to be sure, but these were people who listened to punk and metal. They were weaned on midnight movies, Frank Zappa, William Burroughs, Hunter S. Thompson.Continue Reading

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