The aim of this column is to spotlight authors who have been instrumental in my development as a writer. Some of the writers I’ve covered have been legends in the field who are no longer with us; others more contemporary writers who are still very active and influential. I’m revealing them along a semi-chronological path of when I discovered them, not necessarily their publication dates. Today’s installment features a contemporary writer whose first novel had a huge impact on me, as does her continuing work: Mary SanGiovanni.Continue Reading
Review: Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach by Ramsey Campbell
Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach by Ramsey Campbell
Flame Tree Press (September 6, 2018)
288 pages; $24.95 hardcover; $14.95 paperback
Reviewed by Frank Michaels Errington
No one writes horror like Ramsey Campbell, as evidenced by numerous accolades over the years, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Horror Writers Association, and the Living Legend Award of the International Horror Guild.
Thirteen Days by Sunset Beach is the latest book I’ve read from new publisher Flame Tree Press, and based on what I’ve seen so far, they will be a welcome addition to the marketplace. Continue Reading
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Review: Severance by Ling Ma
Severance by Ling Ma
Farrar, Straus & Giroux (August 2018)
304 pages; $19.60 hardcover; $13.99 e-book
Reviewed by Blu Gilliand
I’ve read a post-apocalyptic novel or two in my day, and a common thread that runs through them is that when the bomb drops or the plague hits or whatever apocalyptic thing it is that happens happens, people stop going to work. The apocalypse, it seems, is an unimpeachable reason to play hooky.
Not so in Ling Ma’s entertaining, thought-provoking debut novel, Severance. In Severance, when the apocalyptic thing happens — in this case it’s a disease called Shen Fever — the unaffected minority keep going to work. For some, it’s a coping mechanism. For others, it’s the promise of a hefty bonus, or the idea that their loyalty to the company will get them ahead when this all blows over.
For Candace Chen, it’s a case of not knowing what else to do.Continue Reading
Firestarter and Standing Up to “The Man”
It’s easy to see why Stephen King’s Firestarter was nearly the novel we never read.
Abandoning his manuscript on several occasions, King felt the book was too much like Carrie and feared he would be copying himself. While Carrie White had telekinesis (the ability to move objects with her mind), Charlie McGee’s gift (or curse) in Firestarter is pyrokinesis — the ability to start fires with her mind. Both Carrie and Charlie are adolescents. Both have unnaturally co-dependent relationships with a parental figure. And, both are going through a painful process of learning how to control their extraordinary powers.Continue Reading
FLIGHT OR FRIGHT eBook Edition Available For Preorder Now on All Major Stories!
We’re thrilled to report the eBook edition of Flight or Fright edited by Stephen King and Bev Vincent is now available for preorder on all of the major eBook stores! Here are the links for easy reference:
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
iTunes/iBookstore
Kobo
If you’re more of a traditional print edition reader, be sure to click on the link below for more information about our World’s First Trade Hardcover Edition:
Read more or place your order while supplies last!
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and enthusiasm!
Review: Zombie Apocalypse in Ditmas Park
Zombie Apocalypse in Ditmas Park by Kristine Scheiner
CreateSpace (May 2017)
32 pages, $6.99 paperback
Reviewed by Joshua Gage
Zombie Apocalypse in Ditmas Park: A NYC Coloring Book Adventure for Ghoulish Hacks to Chillax is exactly what it sounds like. New York is invaded by zombies, and the rich blew up the bridges, so Brooklyn is left to fend for itself. Readers follow the adventures of the Scheiner sisters as they prepare for a Zombie Apocalypse Party. What ensues is a joyful romp through a zombie-filled wasteland rich with in-jokes that would make any zombie fan or New Yorker proud.Continue Reading
A New Forthcoming EARLY READERS Grab Bag!
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Bev Vincent reviews Mr. Mercedes Season 2
“I Feel Like He’s Still Among Us”
The creators of the Mr. Mercedes, the TV adaptation of Stephen King’s crime novels, were faced with a dilemma when the series was renewed for a second season. Protagonist Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson) doesn’t appear until 150 pages into the second novel, Finders Keepers, and his nemesis, Brady Hartsfield (Harry Treadaway) is effectively not in the book at all.
That’s easier to manage in a book than in a movie or TV series, where you can’t keep the talent in reserve. Viewers expect them to show up in the opening scenes and appear regularly throughout the season. Imagine The Empire Strikes Back, but with Han Solo in a coma for the entire film and Luke Skywalker not showing up until an hour in.
Continue Reading
On This, the Day of the Pig by Josh Malerman (Signed Limited Edition Hardcover!)
For those who missed the news, we’re thrilled to report we’ll be publishing On This, the Day of the Pig by Josh Malerman, an original novel by the acclaimed author of Bird Box, Unbury Carol, and Black Mad Wheel!
Read more on our website and don’t miss out on your chance to preorder this special edition hardcover!
You can read more or order the hardcover edition on our website!
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and enthusiasm!
Review: The Bad Neighbor by David Tallerman
The Bad Neighbor by David Tallerman
Flame Tree Press (September 6, 2018)
288 pages; $24.85 hardcover; $14.95 paperback;
Reviewed by Frank Michaels Errington
There’s a new publisher I think we’re going to hear a lot about in the coming months. They call themselves Flame Tree Press and they plan to publish both established authors and new voices in horror and the supernatural, crime and mystery thrillers, as well as science fiction and fantasy. Continue Reading
Walking Alone by Bentley Little: Get a 1st/1st Trade Hardcover While You Can!
For those who missed the news, we still have copies of the 1st Printing, 1st Edition trade hardcover of Walking Alone by Bentley Little available via our online store!
Read more or place your order while our supplies last!
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and enthusiasm!
Video Visions: I, Robot Lover
I grew up obsessed with robots. How I haven’t run off with a replicant is a mystery to me.
When I was a wee lad, there was a particular show I watched with my mother every single day that sparked my infatuation with, as the show’s evil/comedic doctor would call them, “ferrous Frankenstein fiends in tin clothing.” That show was Lost In Space — the original from the ’60s, not the okay reboot on Netflix. Continue Reading
Cardinal Black by Robert McCammon: The Next Thrilling Matthew Corbett Adventure!
More big news this month for Robert McCammon fans! We’re thrilled to announce we’ll be publishing his new novel, Cardinal Black, which is the latest installment in his incredible Matthew Corbett series!
(Don’t worry if you haven’t read the series yet, this novel is a terrific stand-alone read, too. McCammon really balances the story for both die-hard fans of the series and new readers!)
About the Book:
Cardinal Black is the newest installment in Robert McCammon’s unique series of historical thrillers featuring Matthew Corbett, professional problem solver, who has been called “the Early American James Bond.”
December 1703 finds Berry Grigsby living as Mary Lynn Nash in a small Welsh village where she has fallen victim to Professor Fell’s involuntary drug experiments. Her mind is quickly deteriorating under the drug’s influence, and the only way to save her is a potion book that was stolen in an attack on the village orchestrated by a mysterious madman going by the name Cardinal Black.
Matthew Corbett has volunteered to travel with Julian Devane, a self-proclaimed “fool and bad man” in the employ of Professor Fell, to hunt down the potion book. They follow the trail to London, where the book will be sold at a secret auction. Matthew and Julian manage to secure a seat at the auction by masquerading as respected and feared underground operatives, but to prevail in their high-stakes mission, they will require help from a very unlikely source. Even if they are successful, their race to save Berry Grigsby will leave a trail of destruction in its wake.
Cardinal Black is another extraordinary achievement from one of America’s most skilled authors, and it features some of the most memorable, compelling, and chilling characters in the Matthew Corbett series to date, each with their own competing agendas. This masterful historical adventure is perfectly balanced for long-time fans of the series and new readers alike who are now joining the adventure.
Read more or place your order while our supplies last!
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and enthusiasm!
Review: Bones by Andrew Cull
Bones by Andrew Cull
CreateSpace (June 2018)
212 pages; $11.95 paperback; $5.49 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie Hartmann
I’ve been saying a different version of the same thing all year but I’ll say it in a unique way for Cemetery Dance:
Social media is responsible for introducing me to a much larger selection of books to read in my favorite genre of horror. Way back when, whatever my mom added to her shelves was what was accessible to me. As I began to shop for books on my own, I was only getting whatever was available at the bookstore, library or thrift stores.
In other words: Traditionally published books.
These days, I’m like a child set loose in a candy store! So many books, so little time! A book that came into view at the beginning of summer is this self-published collection of four short stories called Bones by Andrew Cull.Continue Reading