Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsLeave a comment on Review: Ornithologiae edited by Mark Beech 
Ornithologiae edited by Mark Beech
Egaeus (June 2022)
260 pages; Limited edition of 460 Copies
Reviewed by Daniel Braum
Ornithologiae is an anthology with the theme of birds edited by Mark Beech from his Egeaus Press in the United Kingdom. The subtitle of the book is “Being a collection of weird and uncategorizable stories and poems on the subject of birds.” The volume is hardcover with black and white interior illustrations and color illustrated end pages.Continue Reading
Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories What Screams May Come1 Comment on What Screams May Come: Joseph Sale’s CITY OF CORPSES 
The City of Corpses (Book two of the Lost Carcosa Series) by Joseph Sale
Blood Bound Books (January 16th, 2024)
The synopsis: Dark fantasy and horror combine in this epic narrative of war, betrayal, love, and spirituality…Reeling from betrayal, Alan, Cassilda, LeBarron, and Petruccio must go into hiding; the only place that seems safe is Alar, an underwater kingdom lying at the bottom of Lake Hali. But all is not well in Alar. Dangers lurk around every corner. And a sorceress now rules the city, one whose powers challenge even those of Carcosa’s princesses, Cassilda and Cali…Meanwhile, Pe’kar, the great enemy, unleashes his second legion upon Carcosa, intent to finally raze the city to the ground and become undisputed ruler of the black planet. How can Alan and his fellowship save Carcosa when they can hardly save themselves? The answer lies within…
The City of Corpses is the second Book of Lost Carcosa, an epic fantasy-horror that reimagines the astonishing mythos of Robert W. Chambers. Combining Clive Barker’s eroticism and fantasy with Stephen King’s pulse-pounding narrative, The City of Corpses will please fans of Imajica, Weaveworld, The Dark Tower, H. P. Lovecraft, Eric LaRocca, and Alistair Rennie.Continue Reading
Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsLeave a comment on Review: This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer 
This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer
Quirk Books (January 2024)
309 pages; $18.99 paperback; $11.99 e-book
Reviewed by Haley Newlin
DO NOT TOUCH THIS GROUND
Some monsters live outside the shadows, beneath the sun, sitting beside you, watching and plotting.
Jenny Kiefer’s debut, This Wretched Valley, will appease horror readers who crave fright outside the typical haunted house or killer’s dimly lit basement. Many hair-raising, nail-biting scenes occur in broad daylight, and exploring an uncharted rock in the valley leaves the team isolated from surrounding campers or hikers. Not that many visit that wretched valley, anyway. Not after all the disappearances over the years. Continue Reading
Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsLeave a comment on Review: Shimmerfish by Bethany Browning Shimmerfish is a coming-of-age horror about a young woman who flees abuse and finds a new world filled with the enchantments of mermaiding. She’s got her tail, her mer-sona and a mer-name, but something feels fishy, and she’s forced to confront her deepest fears in order to uncover the truth.
Master of Rods and Strings by Jason Marc Harris
Crystal Lake Publishing
January 12th, 2024
The synopsis:
Jealous of the attention lavished upon the puppetry talents of his dear sister—and tormented by visions of her torture at the hands of the mysterious Uncle Pavan who recruited her for his arcane school—Elias is determined to learn the true nature of occult puppetry, no matter the hideous costs, in order to exact vengeance.
Creep This Way: How to Become a Horror Writer With 24 Steps to Get You Ghouling by Rebecca Cuthbert
Seamus & Nunzio Productions (January 15, 2024)
92 pages; $7.99 e-book
Reviewed by Joshua Gage
Rebecca Cuthbert is a dark fiction and poetry writer living in Western New York. She loves ghost stories, folklore, witchy women, and anything that involves nature getting revenge. Her debut poetry collection, In Memory of Exoskeletons, is out now with Alien Buddha Press, and her hybrid poetry and story collection, Self-Made Monsters, will arrive in Fall of 2024. Her non-fiction book, Creep This Way: How to Become a Horror Writer With 24 Steps to Get You Ghouling will be out in January 2024 from Seamus & Nunzio Productions.Continue Reading
Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsLeave a comment on Review: On the Subject of Blackberries by Stephanie M. Wytovich 
On the Subject of Blackberries by Stephanie M. Wytovich
Raw Dog Screaming Press (September 2023)
128 pages; hardcover $24.95
Reviewed by Joshua Gage
Stephanie M. Wytovich is an American poet, novelist, and essayist. Her work has been showcased in numerous magazines and anthologies such as Weird Tales, Nightmare Magazine, Southwest Review, Year’s Best Hardcore Horror: Volume 2, The Best Horror of the Year: Volume 8, as well as many others. Wytovich is the Poetry Editor for Raw Dog Screaming Press, an adjunct at Western Connecticut State University, Southern New Hampshire University, and Point Park University, and a mentor with Crystal Lake Publishing. Her newest poetry collection is On the Subject of Blackberries. Continue Reading
Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories InterviewsLeave a comment on The Cemetery Dance Interview: Clay McLeod Chapman 
Clay McLeod Chapman writes books, comic books, children’s books, as well as for film and television. His most recent novel, What Kind of Mother and Ghost Eaters are grief horror stories. Chapman’s vibrant personality and energy are magnetizing, and seemingly contradictory to his writing material. Todd Keisling and I joked that the Whisper Down The Lane author is “like a cup of coffee” — rejuvenating.
It’s there, in that duality and range both on and off the page, where Chapman’s talent lies.
Chapman spoke to Cemetery Danceabout What Kind of Mother, Ghost Eaters, fellow horror authors, and his upcoming projects. Continue Reading
In true Splatterpunk style, John McNee’s Hail Santa combines relevant social commentary with all the red mayhem and over the top violence you can shake a razor-sharp candy cane at. While the grueling gore is kept front row center this holiday season, it walks a fine line with a fully fleshed out story that’s as engaging as it is daring. Every page keeps our eyes glued to its frenzied pace even while the author leans in on gruesome details that are certain to leave even the naughtiest of elves blushing at the sheer insanity of it all. Continue Reading
Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsLeave a comment on Review: The Maker’s Box by David Barclay 
The Maker’s Box by David Barclay
9 Swords (March 2022)
89 pages; $6.99 paperback; $3.99 e-book
Reviewed by Haley Newlin
Stephen King’s dreamscape fantasy Rose Madder meets the precise cleverness of Richard Chizmar’s Gwendy’s series in The Maker’s Box.
I’d never read anything from Barclay before The Maker’s Box, but now I’m blood-thirsty for more. Continue Reading
Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsLeave a comment on Review: Double Dose by F. Paul Wilson 
Double Dose by F. Paul Wilson
Gordian Knot Books (September 2023)
382 pages; $16.99 paperback; $4.99 e-book
Reviewed by Dave Simms
The world of legend F. Paul Wilson continues to grow in this second installment of the Duad series. Is it the finale or just another chapter? Read on to decide but if one is familiar with Wilson’s storytelling, the mystery is always afoot. One thing is sure, however. The man seems incapable of penning a bad — or boring — book.Continue Reading
Thirsty for Love by Carmen Pizarro and David Ocampo
Independently Published (2022)
48 pages; $15.00 perfect bound collector’s edition of 100
Reviewed by Joshua Gage
Thirsty for Love is a clever monster graphic novel written by David Ocampo and illustrated by Carmen Pizarro. When Emily goes missing, her friend Josie thinks she knows what happens. She’s aware of the new girl, Charlotte Smith, and suspects she’s responsible for Emily’s disappearance. When she confronts Charlotte, Josie discovers that her suspicions are not only wrong, but that the truth is far worse than she could ever imagine. Continue Reading
Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories InterviewsLeave a comment on The Cemetery Dance Interview: Steve Wedel
Get ready to leave the path and dance beneath the full moon because Steve Wedel’s pack is back with a vengeance as his Werewolf Saga continues its reign with First Born. A former English teacher and machine shop operator, Wedel has written some of the most terrifying, bold, and unforgettable tales such as Amara’s Prayer, Light At The End, Mother, and several others. He also dabbles in the YA category, occasionally with New York Times best-selling author Carrie Jones. He’s also applied his writing chops to scribing westerns and even romance novels under an alias. Suffice it to say writing is not a choice for Steve Wedel, a fact his fans have no choice but to be grateful for.Continue Reading
Author Cemetery Dance OnlinePosted on Categories ReviewsLeave a comment on Review: Pluto in Furs 2 edited by Scott Dwyer 
Pluto In Furs 2 edited by Scott Dwyer
Plutonian Press (January 2022)
228 pages; $14.99 paperback
Reviewed by Daniel Braum
Pluto In Furs 2 is the follow up volume to the 2019 anthology Pluto In Furs: Tales of Diseased Desires and Seductive Horrors edited by Scott Dwyer from his Plutonian Press. It is an anthology of themed short stories with the theme of erotic horror.Continue Reading
Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas edited by Carina Bissett, Hillary Dodge, and Joshua Viola
Hex Publishers (November 30, 2021)
461 pages; $26.99 hardcover
Reviewed by Joshua Gage
The Shadow Atlas is a really clever concept for an anthology. It is described as follows: “Ancient peoples knew there were lands given over to shadow and spirit. The world is full of haunted places that exact a terrible toll on trespassers. Our forebears paid a heavy price to earn the wisdom and the warning they bequeathed to future generations. Their stories are maps revealing the topography and contours of landscapes unimaginable and dark. The Shadow Atlas collects their adventures.” This idea, that authors and writers will be looking at various locations and landscapes throughout the Americas and writing the horror specific to those locales is intriguing, and while this is a mixed bag (as any anthology is going to be), it’s a really strong showing of thematic writing that horror fans will enjoy. Continue Reading
Copyright © 1988 - 2025 Cemetery Dance Publications / Performance Website by 2C
