Nick Cato's Blog, page 46

A Really HAIRY Collection

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND OTHER TALES OF LYCANTHROPY by Keith Gouveia (2010 Coscom Entertainment / 179 pp. / tp and e-book)

Gouveia ('Revolt of the Dead') delivers 11 tales of shape-shifting, flesh-ripping werewolf goodness (10 being presented here for the first time).

Among my faves were the opener, "The Beast of Garden Row,' where a failed exorcism leads to an unusual life for one Catholic priest; 'The Wolf Maiden,' where a werewolf comes to the aid of a neglected baby; 'Dance of the Wolf,' in whic...

My Current Comic Craze

Dark Horse's CONAN THE CIMMERIAN has been kicking it full-throttle with their latest adventures of Robert E. Howard's legendary barbarian. Issue 21 (see cover below) ended a great 3-issue storyline with a gore-filled blast featuring the fantastic art of Tomas Giorello.


After their 8-issue mini series BLACKEST NIGHT, DC Comics immediately went into a sequel, BRIGHTEST DAY. In the first three issues, 12 heroes have been de-zombified and are currently attempting to deal with their altered...

Apex Publications Brings the Goods...

DARK FAITH edited by Maurice Broaddus & Jerry Gordon (2010 Apex Publications / 375 pp. / tp)
These 31 all-new stories and poems explore not just religious, but several kinds of faith from many different angles.
After Linda D. Addison's opening psuedo-Genesis poem, Jennifer Pelland's 'Ghosts of New York' gets things off to an intense start; this one tells the tale of a woman who continually finds herself jumping from a skyscraper, soon to learn she's among those who were killed on 9/11.
Brian...

Scary and Smart

Completely absorbing from start to finish, this nifty documentary gives the back-story of an urban legend then quickly develops into a true crime story. The viewer is given both sides of the Andre Rand case, a man accused of kidnapping and killing several mentally disabled Staten Island children during the 1980s (he's been in jail since 1987 despite only circumstancial evidence brought against him).

With testimonies from witnesses, detectives, and some chilling footage shot for a 1987...

A Lost, Genuine Grindhouse Classic Surfaces

Inspired by THE GODFATHER, director, writer, and actor Duke Mitchell tried his own hand at a gangster film, and in 1978, his violent THE EXECUTIONER was released (the film is more commonly known as MASSACRE MAFIA STYLE). The low-budget Video Gems label released THE EXECUTIONER on VHS in the mid-80s, while a double-disc DVD came out a few years ago and sold out of its limited edition. Hence, few people can actually say they've seen this film.
Flash forward to 2009: The...

The Kult Kills...

THE KULT by Shaun Jeffrey (2009 Leucrota Press / 328 pp. / tp)
When Prosper Snow and his friends were kids, they made a pact to stick up for each other should any one of them get bullied. It helped them get through school with little trouble.
Flash forward to today: Prosper is now a police officer whose town is being stalked by a vicious serial killer; this nutjob takes photos of his mutliated victims, sends them to the police, and along with his partner Jill, Prosper begins to find clues in...

DON now available at Smashwords

For the insanely low price of $5.99, you can now check out my debut novel, DON OF THE DEAD, in various e-editions: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/15858?ref=coscomentertainment (There's also links to available print editions on this link, too).

Get ready to be SLASHED...

BUTCHER KNIVES AND BODY COUNTS is a 70-author (!) non-fiction film book coming October, 2010 from Dark Scribe Press (http://darkscribepress.com/).

Artist Deena Warner produced this eye-catching (gouging?) cover, and I'm thrilled to be part of this as I get to rant about what I believe is one of the best, most disturbing slasher films of all time: Romano Scavolin's NIGHTMARE (1981, a.k.a. NIGHTMARES IN A DAMAGED BRAIN). I understand the seldom heard-from Mr. Scavolini will have a piece i...

These BOOTS are Made for CONSPIRACIES

10 A BOOT 20 A HUMAN FACE 30 GOTO 10 by Jess Gulbranson (2010 Legumeman Books / 151 pp. / tp)
Eric works in an old-school record shop that's owned by two lesbians. He seemingly eats pizza for each meal of the day and lives for his music, but basically has a normal life. When he's left to close the store one day, an older man comes in asking if he could hang a picture of his missing niece, Nelly Jones. The man posts the flier then leaves.
When Eric begins seeing these fliers all over town, he...

The POPE OF TRASH returns!

ROLE MODELS by John Waters (2010 Farrar, Straus and Giroux / 304 pp. / hc)
Like his classic memoirs SHOCK VALUE and CRACKPOT, John Waters's ROLE MODELS is another collection of essays from the undisputed "Pope of Trash," and I actually found much of this one a bit funnier than his previous offerings.
The opening chapter dealing with Waters's fascination with singer Johnny Mathis is as heart-felt as it is hilarious, while his brief tribute to Tennessee Williams is unusually serious for the...