Review: Cockblock by C.V. Hunt

Cockblock by C.V. Hunt
Amazon Digital Services (June 25, 2018)

108 pages; $2.99 e-book
Reviewed by Anton Cancre

Sonya and Callie just want to go out for a date. What they don’t want is to find themselves surrounded by men who seem incapable of doing anything but spout lame pick up lines and force themselves on anyone or anything they come across. What follows is a surprisingly harrowing ordeal of survival that reminded me quite pleasantly of Jack Ketchum’s Ladies’ Night.Continue Reading

Review: It, Watching by Elizabeth Massie

It, Watching by Elizabeth Massie
CreateSpace (June 2017)
220 pages; $13.95 paperback; $2.99 e-book
Reviewed by Dave Simms

In her first collection in several years, Elizabeth Massie returns with a thrilling collection of short stories. The Bram Stoker-winning author has put together eighteen tales, several of which are new to readers, and there’s not a clunker in the bunch.Continue Reading

Review: Nightly Owl, Fatal Raven by Jessica McHugh

Nightly Owl, Fatal Raven by Jessica McHugh
Raw Dog Screaming Press (June 14, 2018)

220 pages, $15.95 paperback; $4.99 e-book
Reviewed by Anton Cancre

You know what I was just thinking we don’t have nearly enough of? Hyper-violent, dystopian, post-apocalyptic sword and sandals-style fantasy with a hefty seasoning of Shakespearean drama. Luckily, we have Jess McHugh’s Nightly Owl, Fatal Raven swooping in to pluck out our eyes.Continue Reading

Review: And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe by Gwendolyn Kiste

And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe by Gwendolyn Kiste
JournalStone (April 2017)
210 pages; $15.95 paperback; $3.95 e-book
Reviewed by Dave Simms

Remember this name. Gwendolyn Kiste will one day rule the world of dark short fiction if there’s any justice. Every once in a while, a new voice emerges and takes the genre by storm. Several have broken the surface lately and shown tinges of greatness to be, but rarely is one “born” with a style and substance this mind-boggling.Continue Reading

Brand New T-Shirt Inspired by IT by Stephen King!

Brand New T-Shirt Inspired by IT by Stephen King!
Available For 13 Days and Then Gone Forever!

We’ve always wanted to try one of those t-shirt printing AND fulfillment companies (meaning they process the orders and ship the shirts on our behalf) and we finally came up with something we thought our Stephen King collectors would really love!

Designed by the minds behind our acclaimed Limited Edition of IT by Stephen King, this shirt will only be available for purchase for thirteen days… And when the ordering window closes, we’ll delete the design and never offer it again!

Place your order today because no more will be produced once time runs out!

IT T-Shirt

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

Dead Trees: The Touch by F. Paul Wilson

I first read F. Paul Wilson’s The Touch way back in 1986. I was a twenty-five year old boy, rabidly in love with horror. And after The Keep, The Tomb, and some short pieces I had read, F. Paul Wilson was one of my favorite writers.

There’s a section near the beginning of The Touch. It’s describing a seafaring historical area of a small town…

The Illusion almost worked. He could almost imagine Ishmael, harpoon on shoulder, walking down the harbor toward the Pequod…passing the new Video Shack.

Well, nothing was perfect.

I loved that. I was a modern young man and I was head over heels for the home video explosion. It was a perfect time for me. A perfect time to be a horror fan.Continue Reading

Brand New Glenn Chadbourne Limited Edition Art Print!

It has been ages since we offered one of Glenn Chadbourne’s acclaimed Stephen King art prints, but over the weekend he sent us an ORIGINAL full-color painting inspired by King’s classic novel IT that we think will look awesome in your home, office, or personal library — so here we go again!

This painting will be reproduced as a stunning 11 X 17 LIMITED EDITION art print and it’ll be perfect for matting and framing if you’re so inclined. We’re limiting this one-time run to just 500 prints and 75% of them have already been reserved, so we don’t expect these to last long!

Place your order today because we will never issue a second printing!

IT Painting

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

Review: The Hunger by Alma Katsu

The Hunger by Alma Katsu
G.P. Putnam’s Sons (March 2018)
384 pages; $16.00 hardcover; $13.99 e-book
Reviewed by Dave Simms

The release of Alma Katsu’s new historical horror novel brings with it comparisons to The Terror by Dan Simmons, even including both of them in social media ads. Do not be fooled. Yes, both authors bring impeccable research to fine stories and put you right there in the moment with ease. Both examine the human condition and how people can easily be turned to embrace their shadow selves, the monsters within the person.

Yet, there are a couple of major differences. Continue Reading

The Zombie Who Cried Human and Widow’s Point Audiobooks!

The Zombie Who Cried Human and Widow’s Point Audiobooks!
Value Priced and Available For Immediate Download!

It’s rare we dip into the audiobook realm, but we have some terrific news for audio fans!

* Our friends Greg and Sarah at Funemployment Radio have produced an audiobook for The Zombie Who Cried Human by Brian James Freeman and Glenn Chadbourne! The audiobook contains two reading of the story and is available for immediate download. The retail price is just $3.95, but Amazon and Audible have discounted the price to even less than that right now, so please check it out and let us know what you think:

Amazon * Audible * iTunes

* In addition, Richard and Billy Chizmar’s acclaimed novella Widow’s Point is now available on audio from Crossroads Press! To make this even cooler, one of our favorite writers, Chet Williamson, is the reader! Be sure to download your copy ASAP and drop us a line with your feedback:

Amazon * Audible * iTunes

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

Review: Like Jagged Teeth by Betty Rocksteady

Like Jagged Teeth by Betty Rocksteady
Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing (April 2017)

118 pages, $11.95 paperback; $3.99 e-book
Reviewed by Anton Cancre

Betty Rocksteady appears to be a bit of a newcomer on the scene. I hadn’t seen her name or work prior to this year. However, if Like Jagged Teeth is anything to go on, she’s kicking the door right off its hinges.Continue Reading

Who is the True Villain in Carrie?

Stephen King’s first novel Carrie debuted on April 5th, 1974 with little to no fanfare. One might say that, like the novel’s title character, Carrie was always destined to be a late bloomer. Shy to the spotlight, you might find Carrie hanging out at your local library or bookstore, sitting there all but invisible upon the shelf. All the while, of course, Carrie held a great secret. A special power. Quiet and patient, Carrie was waiting to make her mark on the world, to have her revenge on those who had underestimated her, and to make Stephen King a household name. Continue Reading

Review: Stirring the Sheets by Chad Lutzke

Stirring the Sheets by Chad Lutzke
Bloodshot Books (April 2018)
130 pages; $8.99 paperback; $2.99 e-book
Reviewed by Blu Gilliand

Read enough horror, and you start feeling like you can predict where a book or story is going to go within a few pages or chapters. I’m not saying that all horror is predictable or formulaic; just that enough of it is that some reviewers (like me) might find themselves getting a little cocky after a few successful predictions. Then someone like Chad Lutzke comes along with a novella like Stirring the Sheets, and gleefully knocks you off your high horse.Continue Reading

Bev Vincent Reviews The Outsider by Stephen King

Stephen King News From the Dead Zone

Reality is Thin Ice
The Outsider by Stephen King

Reviewed by Bev Vincent

One of the themes of Stephen King’s 1986 novel It was the notion that adults lose the ability to believe in the kinds of things they embraced as children. Mike Hanlon contemplates this issue when he’s planning to summon his childhood friends back to Derry to confront the monster they defeated but did not destroy nearly three decades earlier. He wonders if they’re up to the task because their former ability to believe in the power of certain talismans gave them the strength to hurt Pennywise.

The inability to believe plays a major part in The Outsider. Continue Reading

Exhumed: “End of the Line” and “Seed”

Exhumed is my humble attempt to read and review every short story and novel excerpt ever published by Cemetery Dance magazine. In their 29 years of publication, that comes to over 550 pieces spread out over 76 issues. Since each Exhumed post covers just two pieces (one “old” and one “new”), I think I’m going to be doing this for a while. I sure hope you’ll join me along the way.

If so, then welcome, friend! Feel free to read each story along with me or just take it all in while I do the hard work and wax poetic with my observations.

Either way, grab your shovel and dig in. There’s no telling what we’ll unearth together.Continue Reading