Tales of the Undead-Hell Whore is the first in a series of anthologies, with this one specifically having as its theme devilish women. The overall title “Tales of the Undead” is perhaps a bit inaccurate, since many of these stories have nothing to do with the undead, but the subtitle is certainly more of a description of what is included within its pages. In some stories, this association is obvious, while in others that association to evil women is a lot more subtle.
It is often difficult to provide a review of an anthology because almost without fail, they are a mixed bag. A consistent theme often allows for a more comprehensive overview-each author provides a story to the mix that sticks to a sometimes loose, but understood guideline. TotU-HW does have a theme, but it runs the gambit with stories of vampires, ghosts, demons, witches, Satan, human-animal hybrids, werewolves, ancient gods, sexually voracious women, and even more of a mix of swirling horrors. And that isn’t even mentioning the poems, which are as diverse a lot as the short stories.
There were some gems in this book from my perspective, including “Entre of the Damned” and “Girls are Icky”, both appreciated for entirely different reasons, and of course some stories that did not click, which I will admit is more due to personal preference rather than the quality of the work, at least in most cases. The writing styles here are quite diverse, with everything from the delicately subtle to in your face. I enjoyed “Who F&*ked Up Kelly Yesterday?” because I have a taste for bizarro horror, while I know that there will be plenty of folks who would be repulsed by this story’s audacity. There were a few stories that I felt that the writing was a bit rough, with both the story itself and the way the author telling it making it feel forced and hard to get through, but there those were only a select few out of this bunch. There were some sagas that felt incomplete to me-either telling instead of showing and letting the tale reveal itself, or in one case where the writing style seemed a bit forced and awkward- like the author was providing a summary rather than providing the reader with the story itself.
Anthologies are journeys where the road is both smooth and bumpy at different times. Rarely do you find a short story compendium where every story hits the mark. But finding a short story or poem you really enjoy and that will stick with you makes the journey through the good, the great, and the bad worthwhile. Tales of the Undead-Hell Whore is such an anthology.
Tales of the Undead: Hello Whore can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BLR40A2/ref=cm_cr_thx_view
May 18, 2013 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Bizarro, book review, ghosts, horror, kindle, poetry, short stories, supernatural, vampires, werewolves | Leave A Comment »
Well, I didn’t have to wait too long for this. I was just sharing the link to the audio version of Comes The Dark and now, already, there are links available for the ebook versions. Permuted Press just published this over on Facebook:
The long awaited Permuted reissue of Patrick D’Orazio‘s hit novel COMES THE DARK is now available in the Amazon Kindle and NOOK stores. The original edition has received over 50 four and five star reader reviews between Amazon and Goodreads. Permuted’s edition has been completely re-edited and includes bonus “Dark Tales.”
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BDBO28Q/permutedpress-20
Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/comes-the-dark-patrick-dorazio/1102526101?ean=2940016251868
So we have it on both the Kindle and the Nook, which is downright spectacular!
February 9, 2013 | Categories: Comes The Dark | Tags: Apocalypse, comes the dark, cover art, dark stories, horror, kindle, nook, Permuted Press, short stories, zombies | Leave A Comment »
Well, it’s been a great ride I’ve been on over the past few years. The Library of the Living Dead was very good to me when it gave me a shot as a new author. I think I was pretty good to them by producing a trilogy that sold a few copies here and there. Good enough that when the time to part ways with the Library was upon me, Jacob, the owner of Permuted Press, was very interested in re-releasing my novels.
It’s been an interesting journey, with a lot of twists and turns. Of course, many of them occurred before the first book was ever published, but there have been quite a few since then. Some ups and some downs, including a gaff with the kindle version of Comes The Dark occurred that required some quick thinking. But all’s well that ends well, and that situation ended well. But now my books are in someone else’s hands, and I’m pretty excited about what’s to come. I miss the Library, and I miss Doc, my old publisher, but it has gone by the wayside, and I doubt, sadly enough, that it will ever publish something new again.
Comes The Dark is being re-released with new edits and new content in paperback, ebook, and audible versions by Permuted press this month. The same will be the case with the two sequels, which are coming in March and April. Some things I have added that weren’t included in the original Dark Stories-some freshly written, some dug up from the crypt where I keep a lot of old, dusty things that just need a little bit of a cleaning up before they’re ready to go. Well…not everything should see the light of day from that old crypt, but this stuff I feel deserves to get a good looking over by someone other than me.
I have to admit, what I’m excited the most about the re-release of this trilogy is that they will be available in audio form. You see, for those of you who don’t know me personally, you may not understand why this is what gets me so excited. But if you do know me and my family, and know my son, Zack, you’ll understand why. I guess that makes me nervous for the book’s release in audio format as well-when your boy tells you that you’re his favorite author, but he hasn’t even read any of your stuff yet…well, that’s a lot to live up to.
I’ve been informed that the ebook version of Comes The Dark will be ready to go in the next few days. Once I have a link, I’ll be sharing it. The paper version of the book will hit roughly around 2/26/13, as will the audio version. The great news is that the link is already up for ordering the audio version of the book, and my guess is it will be the same link for the other versions as well-just click on the option you prefer. So if you have a desire to check out my first book on tape (heh, I’m old enough to remember when they were on tape!), click the cover art below and pre-order your copy. I’ll be posting again when the other versions are available as well, so stay tuned!
February 9, 2013 | Categories: Comes The Dark, My Writing Experiences, Random Thoughts | Tags: Apocalypse, audible, comes the dark, cover art, dark stories, horror, kindle, Library of the Living Dead, Permuted Press, short stories, zombies | 1 Comment »
Spooky Showcase offers the reader a return to Alan Draven’s world of the supernatural and surreal. Bitternest is a city in Louisiana where ghosts, vampires, and other creatures exist and terrorize the inhabitants in pretty much all of the author’s novels and short stories. All but one of the tales in this book take place in Bitternest, including a novella entitled “The Paradigm” which is noir-ish detective tale that takes place back in the 80s and starts out like all the classic detective tales you’ve ever seen with the gruff private eye and the sultry dame in trouble, but dives into the deeply supernatural from there. Three short stories follow, two of which involve children and the real terrors that haunt them in Bitternest, before the reader is treated to a re-imagining of the classic Jack the Ripper saga with “Vengeance is Mine”.
I’ve been impressed with Alan’s ability to craft a real, vibrant city filled with all kinds of spooky and scary monsters since I read his first book about the strange place near New Orleans. While he does hint at future tales with Jim Coffin, the detective in his first story here, I felt that there was something missing from this particular story-a more fleshed explanation of what was happening to him was desired, though I’m sure more will be divulged in the future. Despite the desire for more, I thoroughly enjoyed the flavor of the piece. Future installments should be interesting, and I could see something along the lines of Glenn Cook’s “The Garrett Files” or Simon Green’s John Taylor series if Alan puts a bit more spit and polish on his next few Jim Coffin stories.
The short stories are all enjoyable, each with a surprise attached-that quick rabbit punch that often makes a short piece all the more enjoyable. I especially liked “The Rattling Man” with its Halloween ambiance.
While “Vengeance is Mine” is perhaps more of a homage than anything-a variation the Jack the Ripper mystery with the author’s embellishments, I did enjoy his take on what might have been with good ol’ Jack. Plenty of gore for those hungry for it, and the author used the historical elements so that they fit around the story he created quite nicely.
Overall, this was a fun read that went by fast. I look forward to more of the author’s Bitternest sagas, and will be curious to see where he takes Jim Coffin from here.
Spooky Showcase can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0981021336/ref=cm_cr_thx_view
January 6, 2013 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: book review, ghosts, horror, novella, serial killer, short stories, supernatural | Leave A Comment »
I announced about a week ago that No More Heroes, an anthology filled with all new superheroes and villains, was available over at Creatspace. I’m thrilled that it is now on Amazon as well. While it appears only in paperback at this time, I’m sure that it will be available in e-book format very soon as well. This project was a labor of love, as my past posts have explained. A fully developed and detailed world of new good guys and bad guys with all new super powers and abilities to cause mayhem and destruction. Definitely worth checking out for those who are looking for something new and different. You can read my tale of bad guys and good guys: “Slow Goth and St. North” there, along with a great lineup of other stories about plenty of other baddies and do gooders.
Check it out by clicking on the image of below.
November 2, 2012 | Categories: My Writing Experiences, Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: adventure, short stories, Superheroes, supernatural, Villains | Leave A Comment »
As you should know, the anthology Zombies Gone Wild has been released. Why should you know? Well, let me tell ya. Because it includes one of my short stories, “What’s Eating You?” which is one twisted, messed up tale of zombie therapy. It also includes stories from a slew of great indy authors who loves them some zombies. Out on the kindle, very soon to be available in paperback as well.
You should also know because great and wonderful fellow author Rebecca Besser, who also has a story included in this wondrous tome, has created “Wild Week!” over on her blog, where she is doing interviews of many of the authors involved in this killer project. So please stop on over and check out the interview Rebecca did with yours truly as a part of Wild Week…and check out the other interviews she’s doing to support the book’s release as well.
http://blog.rebeccabesser.com/2012/10/26/patrick-dorazio—wild-week.aspx?ref=rss
October 26, 2012 | Categories: My Writing Experiences, Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Apocalypse, comedy, horror, short stories, zombies | Leave A Comment »
I’m proud to announce that Zombie’s Gone Wild, an anthology of wild and crazy zombie tales, including “What’s Eating You?” which is my twisted and disturbing saga of zombie comedy, is included within its pages. It hit the Kindle today, and will be available in paperback soon. Stay tuned-I’ll definitely keep everyone posted on that front. Just click on the cover below to be taken to where you can purchase this masterpiece of modern zombie horror and comedy.
Death is not the end…
“Zombies Gone Wild!” is a chilling collection of twenty-six stories from established authors as well as up-and-coming writers in the genre, with an opening poem from everyone’s favorite zombie. This anthology includes tales where the undead stand as a symbol of unification for a desperate world, where friends really are what you make them, and where new beginnings aren’t always a good thing.
The end is only the beginning…
Bizarre, humorous, and terrifying, “Zombies Gone Wild!” will satiate your hunger for zombie goodness.
October 17, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Apocalypse, comedy, cover art, horror, short stories, zombies | Leave A Comment »
Okay, so I wrote this science fiction comedy story quite some time back for an anthology that never came out. It was, without a doubt, a strange piece of fiction. Perhaps not as strange as the piece I wrote for Houdini Gut Punch, a bizarro anthology, which is called “Consumer’s Paradise”, but then again, I wasn’t writing this piece in an attempt at something bizarro, just something wild, fun, and perhaps a bit…off. Which is what I came up with. And now it will be available via a new bizarro anthology that has been released entitled Tall Tales with Short Cocks, Volume 2 from Bizarro Press.
Okay, I get it. I read the first volume of this anthology series and the comments in many of the reviews said that there were very few…um, er, well, you know…naughty male bits…in any of the stories. And I was thinking that my particular story, which is entitled “The Interstellar Quest for Snack Cakes” has none of them in it either. But perhaps I shouldn’t speak so fast. There is a bit of untamed lasciviousness in my tale, primarily with a wide assortment of alien creatures. Nothing described in too much graphic detail, mind you, but it is there. Of course, if I thought I could sell a few more books by making it a bit more racy, I might have considered doing so. But hey, mixing comedy, science fiction, and erotica might just make a few folks heads explode, so I’ll keep things just where they are, with just the comedy and science fiction. Otherwise I might have been forced to call my story Barbarella.
Suffice it to say, this anthology will have some pretty weird tales in it. I read the first volume and there was plenty of horror, comedy, and some stuff that was just plane surreal, so my guess is that if you check this one out, you’ll get a nice assortment of whacked out crazy stuff mixed with some chills, thrills, and head scratches. And including in this bevy of the odd is my story, which the editor said was ‘not strictly not bizarro, but pretty f$%king bizarre’ which I take as a tremendous compliment and makes for a great tag line.
Click on the cover below to head to Amazon to purchase the kindle version of this book. Stay tuned for updates on the paperback version, coming soon!
October 1, 2012 | Categories: The Shorts | Tags: Bizarro, Bizarro Press, comedy, science fiction, short stories | Leave A Comment »
Ravenous: Through the Eyes of Bigfoot is a short story that gives us a brief insight into what the life of a Bigfoot creature may be like. Terrill goes by that name only because it is the sound his mother made before abandoning him. He is a lone hunter, wandering the wilderness facing off again bears and smaller prey, but has crossed paths with men before. He does not fear them-he does not fear anything. They appear to be weak and like him, are not animals. Terrill has created his own goes in lieu of having any guidance from any other Bigfoots, and sacrifices to them.
The story covers his experience with mankind, learning that while they are weaker in many ways, being much smaller and soft, but have weapons and don’t act like the animals, who flee and never return when one of them gets attacked. Humans are willing to hunt him and try to destroy him before he wipes them all out.
Again, this is a short story, but it still provides the reader with a good understanding of both the violent and somewhat sad existence of this solitary hunter. The best story I’ve read from Keith so far, and this certainly has the potential to be expanding into a larger tale.
Raveous: Through The Eyes of Bigfoot can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Ravenous-Through-Keith-Adam-Luethke/dp/1475221681/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342284182&sr=1-1&keywords=ravenous%3A+through
July 14, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: adventure, Bigfoot, book review, horror, short stories | Leave A Comment »
The 5000 Fingers of Bob is a strange and creepy tale set in south during the Great Depression and tells the story of five men plotting the death of a local man they’ve dubbed Bob, even though they don’t know his real name. They call him Bob because that’s what he calls everyone around town. He is a man-child, a mentally handicapped man who is huge, eerie, but appears to be harmless on the surface. But when one of the men finds him leaning over his daughter’s bed one night and throws Bob outside, only to find giant back inside, he suggests to his friends that they kill Bob, or do something else to (at the very least) dissuade him from doing any other disturbing things. There are other rumors of Bob showing up in one place and then disappearing, and of things happening around him that are horrific, like the death of someone’s dog that is graphic and grotesque.
Things go wrong as the men continue to hatch their plot to put a stop to Bob and as they carry it out. While the truth is somewhat muddled, it is clear that there is more to Bob than meets the eye. This is a short story, and as such the author leaves out details that might reveal more about the nature of Bob and the supernatural shadowing effect that seems to surround him. That serves the purpose of keeping things a mystery, even as more is revealed about the man who seems to be everywhere and nowhere at once.
A good, creative short story. I do wish there were more details laid out there, but the author’s ability to set a scene and pull you into it as a reader gives this little tale a potent punch.
The 5000 Fingers of Bob can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/The-5000-Fingers-Bob-ebook/dp/B007FYBBQG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340113984&sr=8-1&keywords=the+5000+fingers+of+bob
June 19, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: horror, kindle, mystery, short stories, supernatural | Leave A Comment »
I’ve wanted to show off this wacky cover for some time, but it just became official. I don’t really have a good explanation for this anthology, as far as all the types of stories it includes, but I know that my story, “What’s Eating You?” is a pretty twisted and darkly comedic zombie tale not for the faint of heart or squeamish. So my guess is that since the publisher indicated that my tale was just the type they were looking for that this book is filled with a plethora of twisted and darkly comedic zombie tales. Well, you can look at the cover and see that much, right?
More details to come, as the table of contents should be released fairly soon for Zombies Gone Wild.
June 16, 2012 | Categories: The Shorts | Tags: Apocalypse, Bizarro, comedy, cover art, horror, short stories, zombies | 1 Comment »
Dean Giles has crafted what amounts to a serial production of an alien invasion, releasing it as short stories with two installations thus far, along with a brief prequel that is included with Alien Apocalypse: Genesis. The story is about Leon, a father imprisoned for manslaughter after he kills his wife’s murderer, and Elliot, his son, who has to live with his aunt and uncle on their farm until his father’s four year sentence is complete. Nearing the end of his term of imprisonment, Leon has to deal with a comet that is passing close to Earth’s atmosphere and the fact that an alien presence that has hitched a ride on the comet has invaded earth, devouring virtually everything in its path and wiping out everyone in his prison except for him and a couple of other people. The first short story, Alien Apocalypse: The Storm, tells the tale of his efforts to find Elliot and figure out how they can escape the encroaching alien growth, which has the ability to transform itself into a wide array of genetic hybrids that are capable of tearing apart just about anything to get to the human flesh it craves. Leon and Elliot discover that the only thing that seems able to stop the alien assault is oil, which keeps the alien growth at bay. In this chapter of the saga, Leon and his son make their way to an oil refinery, which seems like the safest place given the alien’s weakness and might provide them with a weapon to fight back. Upon arrival at the refinery, they discover other survivors who have taken over and have enslaved several other people. Leon and Elliot work to free these prisoners but only manage to provide an escape for one of them, a woman who has lost her memory who they dub Isabella until she can tell them her real name. The author also shares insights into the alien hive mind and how it thinks throughout the story, letting the reader know what its plans are for the human race.
Alien Apocalypse is an entertaining sci fi outing that, so far, has me intrigued. I am interested in where things go from here, with genetic replicas being created of human beings that, when separated from the hive mind, seem to have desires and yearnings of their own that tend to contradict the ancient alien they came from. I for one am very interested in seeing where this story leads and look forward to the next chapter.
Alien Apocalypse: Genesis can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Apocalypse-Genesis-ebook/dp/B007EG96WQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1338336404&sr=1-1
May 29, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Aliens, Apocalypse, horror, short stories | Leave A Comment »
She Makes Me Smile has gotten a lot of press based on what a particular publisher did under the guise of editing this work, which originally appeared in an anthology. I won’t get into details of this here, because there are plenty of explanations out there, including one from the author included with this story. Suffice it to say, I am happy that the author has had the chance to reveal her story to the public without the adornments installed by others who sought to change her work into something completely different.
She Makes Me Smile is a story told in first person about two people, one of which is bound and gagged and sitting on a couch while the other puzzles over why they have done this horrible act to their one and only friend. There is confusion on their part, though emotions in general are something they don’t really experience…at least not until the urge to tie up their friend and do even worse things to them occurs. That is where the title of the story comes in to play.
This is a simple story, unencumbered by complex details. While the past of the character who narrates is touched upon, no depth of detail yields explanation as to why they’ve crossed the line. And while their victim is definitely female, we don’t know if the main character is a man or a woman, so it is also impossible for us to interpret things based on perceived gender roles. The simple elements of this story make it work, and made me curious. We readers tend to want to fill in the blanks on a tale-anything an author leaves out. Mandy DeGeit has given us a very sparsely drawn on canvas here, which allowed the dark avenues of my own mind to fill in all the gaps. Simple, sparse, and yet effectively disturbing.
You can find She Makes Me Smile here: http://www.amazon.com/She-Makes-Me-Smile-ebook/dp/B0085KMVAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338051843&sr=8-1
May 26, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: horror, psychological, short stories | Leave A Comment »
Were-Wolves, Apocalypses, and Genetic Mutations, Oh My! is a trilogy of short stories by Suzanne Robb, author of Z-Boat, a zombie novel set in the dark depths of the ocean, as well as a wide array of strange and twisty short stories with a horror and fantasy bent to them. These three stories fit right in with what the fan’s of Robb has come to expect. In “Welcome To The Future” she explores a near future filled with disastrous attempts at genetic manipulations to the human body. We get to see plenty of failings and know why the whole idea of mutation is abhorred. Along comes a teenage boy whose parents and teachers have given up on him. He has even given up on himself until a doctor provides him with a solution to all his problems that promises to make him the smartest man in the world. Naturally, things don’t go quite as planned, and all hell breaks loose. In “The Moonlight Killer” we are given a story that turns the traditional werewolf tale on its ear with man-bites-wolf repercussions. A really twisty, humorous tale with plenty of darkness to it. Finally, in “B.I.T.E.” the reader is introduced to world on the very brink of Apocalypse, with strange beasties boiling up through the ground including massive man-eating squirrels, cobra-men, and minions…lots of minions. That plus a mother and daughter who are bound and determined to stop the end of the world, no matter how dysfunctional they appear to be.
These stories have an interesting flavor that I would call Robb-ish, in that they not only give you some good scares, they also have some wicked dark humor to them that make you snicker while feeling a bit uncomfortable with the circumstances the characters are going through. These are quick, entertaining reads for those of you looking for a tidy little dose of scary fun from an up and coming author.
You can find Were-Wolves, Apocalypses, and Genetic Mutations, Oh My! here: http://www.amazon.com/Were-wolves-Apocalypses-Genetic-Mutation-ebook/dp/B006SBC2UQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1336948427&sr=1-1
May 13, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Apocalypse, book review, genetic mutations, horror, humor, short stories, werewolves | Leave A Comment »
Another project I worked on and am very excited about has come to fruition and is now available over on Amazon. Read The End First has the unique premise of showcasing 24 different tales of the end of the world, each based in a different time zone. Because of the nature of the project, this was an invite only anthology, and each author had to pick a particular time zone and write a story that would make sense given their location on the globe. My particular story takes place in Bethlehem and is entitled “What Rough Beast.” You’ll just have to guess at what the story is all about.
So check this one out, there is a great list of authors involved, including Stephen North, Suzanne Robb (who edited it), Michael S. Gardner, Rebecca Snow, A.J. French, Craig Saunders, John McCuaig, David Dunwoody, Wayne Goodchild, Adrian Chamberlain, D.A. Chaney, Hollie Snider, William Todd Rose, and many more that I apologize I can’t remember right off the top of my head.
So click on the cover and head on over to Amazon to check out your very own copy of Read The End First.
April 19, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Aliens, Apocalypse, cover art, disasters, horror, science fiction, short stories, supernatural, wicked east press | Leave A Comment »
I got the chance to answer a few questions (in my normally snarky way) that fellow author, and editor, Suzanne Robb came up with for me. You may know Suzanne from her fantastic book, “Z-Boat”, or because of her numerous other short story projects. She is in the process of editing an anthology that I have a privilege of being a part of entitled “Read The End First”, which is about 24 different tales about the end of the world…one specific to each time zone. That should be coming out soon, and more details on that later. But enough about Suzanne! Check out her interview of yours truly over on her blog: http://suzannerobb.blogspot.ca/2012/04/paatrick-dorazio-his-thoughts-on.html, and check out some of Suzanne’s stories as well!
April 16, 2012 | Categories: My Writing Experiences, Random Thoughts | Tags: beyond the dark, comes the dark, dark stories, horror, interview, Into The Dark, short stories, vampires, werewolves, writer, zombies | Leave A Comment »
Well, it didn’t take long for this one to make its way over from Createspace over to Amazon. Since Amazon is easier to deal with as far as ordering is concerned, please check this book out there. As I have mentioned before, it contains one of my favorite short stories I have ever written, Cicada. It is a story about generations that live before, during, and after the zombie apocalypse, told in relation to the appearance of Cicadas-a particular species that comes about every 17 years. It is a tale that speaks of generations-fathers to sons, and how life begins anew, even when there is death all around you.
So please check out Zombie: The Other Fright Meat, which also contains stories from a great list of other authors who love to write traditional tales of zombies, when so many other monsters are “selling out” and going out and doing teen romances and such. Just click on the cover image to head on over to Amazon. Thanks!
March 22, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Apocalypse, cover art, horror, NorGus Press, short stories, zombies | Leave A Comment »
Norgus Press has released an anthology that I have been anticipating for quite some time now, because it contains one of my favorite tales of the undead that I’ve ever written. Zombie: The Other Fright Meat contains a wide assortment of tradition zombie tales…mainly in response to other well known monster types going all Hollywood.
Here is the description:
Zombies.
You can’t live with ‘em…
At least not without getting a chunk bitten out of ya.
But we here at NorGus can’t live without ‘em!
And who’d want to?
In a world where vampires sparkle in the sun instead of roasting like pigs at a barbeque
and werewolves run around with capri pants and washboard abs,
It’s nice that we can fall back on zombies to actually be monsters!
I am happy that my story, Cicada, has found a home in this anthology. I wrote this tale with no plans for it to get published originally. It was one I wrote as one of my first short stories about zombies that stood separate from my novels, and it was one I felt compelled to write. The basic gist of my tale is that the world-and life-runs in cycles, and cicadas, as insects that come up out of the ground on a specific schedule with numerous years between each visit, would serve as a way to ‘check in’ on the world alongside them. The particular Cicada’s that I write about are the ones that appear where I live, in Southwest Ohio, and they appear once very seventeen years. With that in mind, I thought it would be interesting to show how the human race goes from living in normal times to living at the very dawn of the zombie apocalypse, to years later, when much of the human race has been wiped out, and then again, when the human race is fighting its way back to dominance over the dead. The story shows brief moments in time, and tracks different generations of the same family, fathers to sons, and how they cope with death, life, and rebirth, just as the cicadas do, time after time.
Again, this story has always been one I have been very fond of, and am proud that it resides in this anthology. So please check it out…either over on Createspace or when it hits Amazon here in the next couple of weeks. Just click on the cover art to head on over to Createspace to order your copy. Thanks!
March 19, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Anthology, Apocalypse, horror, NorGus Press, short stories, zombies | Leave A Comment »
I’m proud to announce that Before Plan 9: Plans 1-8 From Outer Space has been released and is available over on Amazon. This book details those first plans where the aliens tried to prevent humanity from destroying the universe before their infamous raising of the dead experiment documented in the movie from Ed Wood Jr., Plan 9 From Outer Space. Tony Schaab has brought together a bunch of fantastic authors to tell the tales that record our interactions with the alien beings who are fearful we will invent the substance that has the power to ignite the sun and destroy us all. Certainly, their efforts with Plan 9 were a miserable failure, but what came before? What attempts did they make in our past to try and curb our lust for violence and destruction?
Check out Before Plan 9, which includes my retelling of the Odyssey, aka Plan 1. Just click on the book cover to be directed over to Amazon to get your copy today. Oh, and make sure you keep watching the skies, because the aliens are sure to return!
Here is the table of contents of this very fun and exciting new book:
Plan Zero from the Mesozoic Era by Tony Schaab
Plan 1 from the Lesser-Heralded Parts of The Odyssey by Patrick D’Orazio
Plan 2 from Ancient Egypt by D.A. Chaney
Plan 3 from the Middle Ages of Hamelin by Greg Carter
Plan 4 from the Clockwork Country by Tonia Brown
Plan 5 from the Depressing Depression by David Dunwoody
Plan 6 from the Nazi Regime by Rob Silvera
Plan 7 from Sin City by Jonathan Maberry
Plan 8 from the Fantastic Fifties, Phase 1 by Craig DiLouie
Plan 8 from the Fantastic Fifties, Phase 2 by Joe McKinney and Michael McCarty
March 17, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: adventure, Aliens, Apocalypse, comedy, science fiction, short stories, Twin Star | Leave A Comment »
Alien Apocalypse-The Storm is a short story that takes place just as a comet is cutting a close path near the earth. Something has been hanging out on the comet, and comes down to earth, covering everything with a green mold like growth that devours everything living in its path. The story splits perspectives between Leon, a father imprisoned for manslaughter and just about to fulfill his term, and his son, Elliot, who is living with his aunt and uncle, waiting for his dad to be released. Leon is stuck in solitary confinement during the initial landing of the green growth that carves a swath of destruction through the prison. Only the prison guard who comes into his cell and a woman who is a clerk at the prison who hid in locker manage to avoid the mayhem. Elliot, living on a remote farm, also escapes the first wave of destruction, and the hunt is on for Leon, now freed from prison, to get to his son in time before everything is destroyed.
This is a fast paced, nicely done apocalyptic short story, with a promise for more to come from the author. For a brief tale, Leon, the father, is developed nicely as a character you can appreciate and the author tosses some nice twists into a tale whose main villain is a moss-like substance. Overall, plenty of fun, and I will be interested to see where Dean Giles takes things from here.
Alien Apocalypse-The Storm can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Apocalypse-The-Storm-ebook/dp/B005JE2W7Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1331961140&sr=1-1
March 17, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Aliens, Apocalypse, horror, kindle, science fiction, short stories | Leave A Comment »
I’m pretty excited about a newly release anthology that one of my short stories appears in. I had the opportunity to write a story that was a bit different for me, though at the same time, still shared a bit of DNA with many of the other stories I’ve written over the years. This particular one was originally intended for another anthology, and fit the it to a T. Unfortunately, before that particular anthology got very far, it was cancelled by the publisher. I was ‘stuck’ with this story at that point, which was unfortunate, because I thought it was one of my better tales. It was my effort at writing a war story set in the future, but having some very traditional horror elements to it-a particular menace that I had never written a story about before, and was a new challenge for me. So when I heard about Static Movement producing an anthology entitled Dark Dispatches, which wanted tales of war, real or imagined, here on Earth or elsewhere, in any time period–past, present or future, I knew my story might have a second life. So I submitted my tale, entitled “One Shot, One Kill”, and George Wilhite, the editor, responded within a couple of days, snatching it up.
And now this tale has been released to Amazon, and I am asking you to check it out. I’m not sure how Static Movement works on ebooks, but the paperback version is now available. Keep an eye on the link for further information on the kindle release, and probably over on smashwords for other ebook releases.
I would ask that you consider getting a copy of this book in paperback-a slew of war stories that contain supernatural, alien, and plain old human warriors-all with compelling story lines. I have had the privilege of reading one of the other tales in this book already, by Richard Marsden, and I can tell you that it is excellent. Well worth the price of admission for these two tales alone…but there are many, many more!
So go ahead: click the picture, and head on over to Amazon to pick up your copy of Dark Dispatches. Thanks!
March 9, 2012 | Categories: My Writing Experiences, Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: adventure, Aliens, Apocalypse, cover art, ghosts, short stories, Static Movement Press, vampires, war, werewolves, westerns, zombies | Leave A Comment »
Candy is actually the title of the first of two short stories in this Kindle download, with the second entitled “Mr. Cumberland’s Last Magic Show.” Since they are short stories, it’s difficult to do more than give a brief description of both stories without giving too much away. Candy is about a man who has always been faithful to his wife, despite a lack of a love life between them. When a beautiful girl walks into the diner he’s sitting in and aggressively propositions him, he has no choice but to follow her up to her hotel room. Last Magic Shows tells the tale of Floyd, a magician who has a knack for making things disappear and reappear. But the real trick is that his magic is real, what he is capable of doing with that magic terrifies him.
Both stories have a bit of madness to them-twisty darkness with endings that stick with you after you’ve finished reading them. Candy starts out as a pretty straight-laced adultery story with a disturbing completion that might give potential cheaters pause. Magic was my favorite of the two tales, with a surreal quality to it that remains throughout, growing more intriguingly wicked as it comes to a conclusion.
For the price, it’s a bargain to check out these two well written stories by an up and coming independent writer.
Candy can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Candy-ebook/dp/B006JT5U1K/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330304403&sr=1-8
February 26, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Bizarro, Horror Hound, kindle, short stories, surreal | Leave A Comment »
The Junkie Quatrain consists of four short stories that are intermingled much like Quentin Tarantino did when he crafted Pulp Fiction, and even Resevoir Dogs. Each story has characters that pop up in the other stories, and reading all four brings them all together nicely. Of course, it is important to note that you can read them in any order, and in fact, while they naturally appear in a certain order in the ebook format, the author encourages you to roll the dice when you decide which story to read first, second, third, and fourth and I tend to agree with that recommendation.
To give a brief synopsis, these stories take place about six months after the start of a viral plague that turns its victims into jittering, verbally mush mouthed monsters that twitch and move around like their drug addicts-thus the nickname “junkies”. Since this is in the vein of ‘infected’ or ‘zombie’ tales, they are also ravenous and go nuts when they see the uninfected. It should be noted that they also attack each other on occasion-they travel in packs, and some seem to be set upon by members of these packs. This includes the injured and the weak.
The four stories found here were used separately as additional audio tales for the author’s novels when they were transformed into their audio versions. Together, they amount to a novella, and one that reads fast and with an incredible amount of energy to them all. In my humble opinion they fit together perfectly, with each additional tale adding layers to one complete and complex story that takes place over the course of a couple of days in an apocalypse torn LA. One story deals with a woman who is a loner trying to find a place off the streets and away from the junkies, though she has a certain amount of admiration for the creatures and their ability to work together in packs. Another story deals with ‘Outsiders’ who are willing to go out into the world to gather supplies for those who hide away in barricaded fortresses to protect themselves from the junkies. The third tale is of a young doctor and top virologist who is called to LA by the government to help find a cure for this plague, though things aren’t quite that simple. The final story tells of a man who once made his living as an assassin, but now just has a bone to pick with some folks who decided to steal a prized possession of his from one of his hideouts in LA.
Peter Clines has done a bang up job with both his Zombie/superhero novels and appears to have outdone himself here, with each of these tasty apocalyptic tidbits.
You can find The Junkie Quatrain here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Junkie-Quatrain-ebook/dp/B006XJW1AE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1330142571&sr=1-1
February 24, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: Apocalypse, book review, Permuted Press, short stories, zombies | Leave A Comment »
Rhodri is a young man living with his girlfriend, and they have dreams of getting married and moving into their “forever house,” an expensive home next to a lake that has come on the market. They can afford the down payment with the amount of money they’ve saved as well as the monthly payments, by Rhodri’s calculations. The house represents everything that the couple could ever hope for. Alas, Rhodri’s girlfriend has been suckered into ‘loaning’ the money to her no-good brother, who is an intimidating gangster. Rhodri is advised by her as well as his closest friend not to make waves and give up on the dream of owning the house, rather than messing with the thuggish brother that is likely to squash him into oblivion if he stands up to him. But at some point in life, you have to make a stand, and do what’s right, despite the odds being stacked against you.
Of course, as you can probably surmise, things don’t go well for Rhodri, and the bulk of this tale deals with things…after they take a horrible turn for the worse.
This short story is a mix of a creepy zombie scares and a classic revenge story. The pacing is solid and I really was able to empathize with Rhodri, rooting for him even as he turns into more of a monster than the enemy he is facing (at least more of a monster on the outside). The story was fun and reminded me of an old episode of Tales From the Crypt, with just the right amount of twists and turns and splashed with plenty of gory fun to boot. The ending caused an devious grin to spread across my face. It, like the rest of story, was eminently satisfying.
What Happened to Rhodri can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/What-Happened-to-Rhodri-ebook/dp/B004UB3GY2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328747973&sr=8-1
February 8, 2012 | Categories: Other folk's stuff..., The Shorts | Tags: book review, horror, kindle, revenge, short stories, smashwords, zombies | Leave A Comment »
