S.J. Budd's Blog, page 15

Dreaming At the Top of my Lungs by Israel Finn

This is a book I've been meaning to read for a while and I'm really glad I finally got round to it. Seriously my TBR pile is getting huge, there's just so many great books out there.





This is a great collection. Israel Finn has a really cool sort of laid back writing style that has an informal feel to it like he's right beside you talking to you reeling you in unawares.  Dreaming At the Top of My Lungs covers a great range of subject matter and themes and no two stories are the same.

I'm not quite sure what genre this falls into, its not horror but definitely dark and has some elements of science fiction, weird and speculative fiction. Which is cool as I like stories that don't really fit in with the crowds.

These are tales about the down and outs, the forgotten people who fall through the cracks and feel they will never be able to haul themselves back up. These are the people who feel they've lost everything already. As I read this I get the impression that Israel Finn has somehow lived a multitude of different lifetimes and is sharing his dark wisdom with us. He's clearly seen a lot in life as these stories hint at.

Its a quite a short collection of  12 short stories and took me no time at all to read as they're all so good. As I'm writing I'm finding it really hard to pick out a favourite tale. There really wasn't any that I thought that weren't as good as the others. They're all so different and brilliant in their own ways.

I found the penultimate tale, Ugly really moving and I just loved the dark imagination of it, a modern day Jesus.  As was Water and War  and Stones which really makes you think about the world we live in and what the future might hold.

I really enjoyed Sick Day and No Such Things as Monsters as very darkly  amusing and gruesome tales which will appeal to those who like a bit of gore. Stranded was a really fun read with a great ending. The Present was a really satisfying read and I also felt the darkest tale.

The clever thing about Israel Finn is that he somehow makes you side with his characters who aren't always the nicest of people, somehow you feel like you played a  part in their crimes and are complicit in what is it they're doing.

I'm really looking forward to reading more by Israel Finn,  definitely going to keep an eye for him in the future.

About the Author
Israel Finn is the author of Dreaming At the Top of My Lungs, and a winner of the 80th Annual Writer’s Digest Short Story Competition.

He is a horror, dark fantasy, and speculative fiction writer who's had a life-long love affair with books, weaned on the likes of Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, and Richard Matheson, and later discovering Robert McCammon, Dean Koontz, F. Paul Wilson, Dan Simmons, Ramsey Campbell, and Stephen King, as well as several others.

Israel lives in southern California with his wife, Eyde, and his dog, Sammy.

He's currently working on his new novel, Darkworld.
https://israelfinn.com/

Drag Race by Pat Kelleher

(Book Review originally posted on British Fantasy Society Review Page)




Drag Hunt is the bonus tale accompanying Unclean Spirits  by Chuck Wendig which I have recently reviewed but I felt it deserved its own blog post too! 
It’s set in the same world as Unclean Spirits and features some of the same characters. I really loved this darkly funny and delightful tale.
In Drag Hunt, Kai AKA Coyote has his penis stolen and he will stop at nothing to get it back. Joining him in his quest is Richard Green a young man whose life is spiralling into constant misfortune after losing his job, his home and his girlfriend in one hit.
In the same vein as Unclean Spirits there are lots of gods trying to claw their way back to heaven. I loved the selection of Anglo-Saxon deities featured in Drag Hunt which is set mostly in the U.K.
Pat Kelleher does a great job of continuing Chuck Wendig’s epic Unclean Spirits. The tales really complement each other. Pat Kelleher really captures the essence of Coyote and turns him into a great character worthy of their own tale. Unlike Unclean Spirits this isn’t what I would call horror but it is very funny and I had quite a few laugh out loud moments whilst reading this. Richard Green is desperate to turn his life around whilst all Coyote wants is his penis back!
About the Author

Pat Kelleher is a freelance writer. He has written for magazines, animation and radio. He served his time writing for a wide variety of TV licensed characters, translating them into audio books, novels and comics. Yes, he¹s written for that. And that. And even, you know, them. He has several non-fiction books to his credit and his educational strips and stories for the RSPB currently form the mainstays of their Youth publications. Somehow he has steadfastly managed to avoid all those careers and part-time jobs that look so good on a dust jacket.
(From publisher's website http://www.abaddonbooks.com)
 

Unclean Spirits by Chuck Wendig

(Book Review originally posted on British Fantasy Society Review Page)

Unclean Spirits is an urban fantasy unlike any I have read before. Our main character is Cason Cole, a lovable rogue who has been serving E as a bodyguard for the last five years. His employment is suddenly terminated when a mysterious guy appears and blows up his boss into tiny little pieces.


Is Cason upset, angry or scared? No, he makes a bid for freedom getting into the first taxi he can find and makes a trip back to his beloved wife and son whom he hasn't seen in five years.
All hopes of an ecstatic family re-union are dashed when both his wife and son try to kill him when he turns up unannounced at their house.
Confused yet? 
As I said this is unlike anything I've read before. I'm going to tentatively call it American lad horror, if that even is a thing? The book starts off quite confusing but fret not it all clicks into place very quickly. I took a while to get into it, I found it really confusing but I persevered and after the first chapter, I was in!
Chuck Wendig has a very distinctive style of writing, it’s very economical, straight to the point and really packs a punch. There's no flowery descriptions in here just full throttle action which moves at a really fast pace
Cason Cole only wants his family back but is forced to find the culprit for killing his boss. He thinks that's all he has to do to sort out his crazy situation but it just takes him further into a dark web of unearthly trouble when he realises he is more than just an inconsequential pawn in a very big power game between the gods who have been evicted and cast down to live in the gutter with us mortals.
The pace is very fast and the various sub plots weave together in a way that builds up to a powerful ending. When writing about gods living amongst us it can all so easily sound very far-fetched but in Unclean Spirits it makes for a really interesting tale. 
It’s a fun novel that doesn't take itself too seriously, with this tale you're getting all story all action.
Drag Race by Pat Kelleher



Accompanying this tale is a bonus story by Pat Kelleher titled Drag Hunt. It’s set in the same world as Unclean Spirits and features some of the same characters. I really loved this darkly funny and delightful tale.
In Drag Hunt, Kai AKA Coyote has his penis stolen and he will stop at nothing to get it back. Joining him in his quest is Richard Green a young man whose life is spiralling into constant misfortune after losing his job, his home and his girlfriend in one hit.
In the same vein as Unclean Spirits there are lots of gods trying to claw their way back to heaven. I loved the selection of Anglo-Saxon deities featured in Drag Hunt which is set mostly in the U.K.
Pat Kelleher does a great job of continuing Chuck Wendig’s epic Unclean Spirits. The tales really complement each other. Pat Kelleher really captures the essence of Coyote and turns him into a great character worthy of their own tale. Unlike Unclean Spirits this isn’t what I would call horror but it is very funny and I had quite a few laugh out loud moments whilst reading this. Richard Green is desperate to turn his life around whilst all Coyote wants is his penis back!
About the Authors
Chuck Wendig


Chuck Wendig is a novelist, a screenwriter, and a freelance penmonkey.
He has contributed over two million words to the roleplaying game industry, and was the developer of the popular Hunter: The Vigil game line (White Wolf Game Studios / CCP).

He, along with writing partner Lance Weiler, is a fellow of the Sundance Film Festival Screenwriter's Lab (2010). Their short film, Pandemic, will show at the Sundance Film Festival 2011, and their feature film HiM is in development with producer Ted Hope.

Chuck's novel Double Dead will be out in November, 2011.

He's written too much. He should probably stop. Give him a wide berth, as he might be drunk and untrustworthy. He currently lives in the wilds of Pennsyltucky with a wonderful wife and two very stupid dogs. He is represented by Stacia Decker of the Donald Maass Literary Agency.

You can find him at his website, terribleminds.com
Pat Kelleher

Pat Kelleher is a freelance writer. He has written for magazines, animation and radio. He served his time writing for a wide variety of TV licensed characters, translating them into audio books, novels and comics. Yes, he¹s written for that. And that. And even, you know, them. He has several non-fiction books to his credit and his educational strips and stories for the RSPB currently form the mainstays of their Youth publications. Somehow he has steadfastly managed to avoid all those careers and part-time jobs that look so good on a dust jacket.
(From publisher's website http://www.abaddonbooks.com)
 

Entertaining Demons by Daniel I Russell

Wow this was one helluva read! This is a tale about demons messing with man kind but with a twist. I've recently read Unclean Spirits by Chuck Wendig and this book is strangely similar.

Half of this story is about a young girl on the cusp of womanhood trying to figure out her life and who she is, the other half is crazy demons trying to possess her! Her house is so haunted a TV show PI:Paranormal Investigations has set up surveillance in her house and made her an international reality TV star. Sure her and her beloved grandpa are making loads of money but it's coming at the expense of her feeling alienated from her friends and the sort of life a teenage girl should be living.

It's revealed that the ghost is only after Molly,  except it's not a relatively benign ghost going by the name of old Bill but an ancient immortal demon coming to claim Molly when she turns sixteen?
Can Samuel a paranormal expert who's presenting the show do enough to save her from the demon's evil clutches?

I have to admit that this tale isn't usually something I'd go for but I like to read a bit of everything and this was certainly a good read. This tale is really frightening in places and will make you think twice about shadows in your home. It's an interesting read that will make you question society and where we're heading.

There's some really gory moments in this book and Daniel I Russell does a really good job of creating baddies you'll come to loathe. These demons are despicable creatures, in some places throughout this book their deeds are so dark it makes for uncomfortable reading.

It's easy to feel for Molly she has no friends and has no control over her life other than being able to pay for her mother's healthcare the only reason why she agreed to be filmed. I really liked her character development she gets a bit kick ass in the end but will it be enough.

The ending was unexpected and really chilling!

About the Author

Daniel I. Russell has been featured publications such as The Zombie Feed, Pseudopod and Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. Author of Samhane, Come Into Darkness, Critique, Mother's Boys, The Collector, Retard, Tricks, Mischief and Mayhem, and his latest novel, Entertaining Demons. Daniel lives in Western Australia with his partner and four children, and is currently completing a BA in psychology and counselling.

Did You Forget About Me by Andrew Cull

"He had written to me a month or so before he died. I'd ignored the letter the same way I ignored the others."

This is a really cool little tale that can be devoured in an hour. If you're into creepy things that roam in the night then this is the book for you.
Straightaway this book really intrigued me the tense foreboding atmosphere is perfectly accrued in a fast paced tale. Andrew Cull through his narration raises a lot of questions throughout this dark tale which leaves you desperate to read on and find out more.
Did You Forget About Me documents the tale of Cam and his sister Kelly travelling back to Thatcham in Berkshire to the cottage in which he had spent a turbulent but entirely forgotten chapter of his childhood. When Cam's estranged father dies suddenly he leaves the house to Cam alone, and they both travel there to seek closure from their monster father and to be free of it's grip on them.
But as they settle in to the secluded cottage memories come back in force and not only does he remember the abuse he suffered at the hands of his cruel father but also that of his dear childhood friend Sam with whom he was inseperable...
I really loved the title of this book, it makes perfect sense when you finish and really adds to the creepy vibe! 
This is a small tale but it packs a big punch the ending was great and brutal. Andrew Cull really draws you in and quickly you feel really connected to Cam. This is a tale of loss and regrets and was quite moving in some parts as well as creepy! I was even more creeped out when I read this tale was inspired by real life events which he describes in the afterword. 
About the Author 
Andrew's first screenplay attracted the attention of BAFTA award-winner, Philip Saville. He went on to develop film projects with Hammer Films, Paul W.S Anderson's Impact Pictures and wrote for cult TV hit, 'Urban Gothic'. Alongside this, Andy ran a video rental store in London with the largest horror collection in the UK.
In 2007 he created the YouTube sensation, 'In the Dark'. Regarded as the first YouTube horror series it is considered to have been the inspiration for such renowned projects as Marble Hornets. This was followed by his first feature, 'The Possession Of David O'Reilly'. It quickly garnered much praise and enjoyed a UK theatrical and DVD release with Momentum Pictures. In the US, it was picked up by IFC Films for VOD and DVD release.
Andy recently completed his first novel, 'Remains' and is in pre-production for his next horror feature.
Andy loves Horror and Hitchcock and, like you, he's not easily scared.
http://www.andrewcull.com/aboutUS.html

Darkest Hours by Mike Thorn

I knew this book was going to be something different when I read the first story, Hair. It was totally gross but I couldn't stop reading it. It's been a long time since I have read something so original perplexing and horrific. Mike Thorn can spin a horror tale from any situation.

What's scary about these 15 tales are that the characters are normal people, they could easily be you or me. With each tale you know each one of these tortured souls is going to have something terrible happen to them and half the fun of reading this collection is trying to determine which angle Mike Thorn is coming from.



This is a really diverse collection and packs a very powerful debut drawing on a wide range of influences ranging from academia to science fiction. Each tale is very different in terms of subject matter but each is cleverly thought out and executed. I really liked every one of these, all killer no filler and can't wait to see more from this author in the future. There's a real talent here and its only going to keep getting better.

There's moments of pure brilliance in this collection such as The Auteur in which one guy tries to push his boundaries of experiencing horror. I felt really creeped out after reading this! Some of these tales are so dark because they could so easily happen to anyone, no one is safe.

Stand out favourites for me include; Long Man, Party Time, The Auteur and Sabbatical!

About the Author
Mike Thorn is the author of the short story collection Darkest Hours. His fiction has appeared in a number of magazines and anthologies, including Dark Moon Digest, Behind the Mask - Tales from the Id and Straylight Literary Arts Magazine. His criticism has been featured recently in MUBI Notebook and The Film Stage, and he co-authors the horror-themed series "Devious Dialogues" with A.M. Stanley for Vague Visages.

http://www.mikethornwrites.com/

Siphon by A.A.Medina

So I've just finished this little beauty of a book and it's little tales like these that make me love novellas! And it seems I'm not the only one, recently the horror novella has been turning into quite a trend. Novellas offer something you can really be immersed in and read from start to finish in one sitting.

The reason why I love horror novellas is that they don't mess about they get straight into the action and continue in a fast pace, it's like the author has realised they only have one last night on earth and need to create something magnificent as their legacy. In novellas you won't find endless paragraphs of info dumping or boring back story and Siphon from Hindered Souls Press is no exception.

This is the tale that explores a man's journey after deciding enough is enough. He's going to be the man he's been repressing all these years. It poses the question of are we as cultured and civilised as we think we are or are we all just a few steps away from being depraved animals,void of a moral code?





Dr Gary Phillips appears to be just like us, he's the type of person who is invisible and overlooked except by your boss who will be a massive dick to you. He's got to a stage in his life where he realises he's played it wrong, all he's done is study and work. He's in his mid thirties and has only slept with three women, says it all really, and only remembers one of those encounters. Why? Because he's spent his whole life trying to please his grandfather, a Vietnam veteran who raised him. He just wants to make him proud but nothing he achieves is good enough.

But that's where the similarities end.His life transforms dramatically during an unusual work place accident. He finds his true calling in life and follows it, daring to do all the things he's dreamed of, except they're not normal things like going travelling or getting a puppy, Gary Phillips is definitely one of a kind.

What's really clever about Siphon is that you can't help but like Gary in a weird way. He's a deplorable degenerate who spends way too much time with drug addled prostitutes and stalking his beautiful unobtainable co-worker but somehow you find yourself reluctantly rooting for him.

 As I was reading this I just needed to know what was going to happen next and how this crazy roller coaster of a tale was going to end.( Spoiler, it won't disappoint.)

I loved this unusual tale and can't wait to read more from A.A.Medina. I can't believe this is his first foray into horror novellas and I hope it won't be his last.

About the Author



As a child, Adrian Alexander Medina found solace in storytelling, and every day he had a new one to tell. He would go into great detail about his adventures at school, the time he helped Johnny Rico defeat the bugs on Klendathu, or that time he visited Moscow as a spy. As he grew up, he dialed back the grandiose tales of his adventures, but never lost his overactive imagination.

A. A. Medina believes stories can help the reader understand the strangeness of life and, at the same time, break up the day-to-day monotony by injecting a sense of mystery, wonder, joy, and even fear. When he isn’t melting in the Arizona sun with his wife, Samantha, or being pestered by his fat cats and obnoxious puppy, he is writing his fantasy-horror comic book series Void & Valor, co-running the fiction magazine Aphotic Realm, or designing and developing tabletop games for MoonMarketGames.

A. A. Medina graduated with his B.F.A. in Creative Writing in March of 2017. In addition to writing, A. A. Medina enjoys funneling his creativity into music and graphic design.

He's also the co-owner of Aphotic Realm, do check them out! 


About Hindered Souls PressHindered Souls was created in 2016. It’s original aim was to provide up and coming writers with a place to display their work without all of the fancy requests that comes with bigger publishers. The dream has exploded into an independent press where we aim to showcase the perfectly weird, deranged, satirical, disturbing and realm bending fiction of today and leave the souls of the readers hindered.M.R. Tapia is the editor-in-chief/owner, and dutifully supports/utilizes high-quality freelance editors and graphic designers.

Cry Your Way Home by Damien Angelica Walters

Damien Angelica Walters is an author whose work is constantly popping up in all the great magazines all writers dream of appearing in such as Apex, Black Static, Nightmare Magazine and Shimmer. Not only that she's a Bram Stoker Award nominee?! (she was robbed)

Cry Your Way Home is her second short story collection, the first being Sing Me Your Scars and was truly epic, hence why I was just dying to read Cry Your Way Home.

This is a really great  collection of 17 dark tales. Cry Your Way Home focuses more on domestic horror such as relationship breakdowns, death of a loved one and sibling rivalry. Whoever said there was a happily ever after?

Inside are 17 tales of pain and suffering that arises when families breakdown for whatever reason.  There's a really wide mix of stories in here illustrating that Damien Angelica Walters is not a one trick pony. In this collection she delves into folk horror, sci-fi and just downright creepy!



The stories are beautifully written in a way that is haunting and compelling. Damien Angelica Walters draws you in to her dark world with ease. I found them all as equally imaginative, she not only has the skill to write beautiful but horrific stories but also has the vision to pluck out these great tales from the ether. An examples of this skill is The Floating Girls: A Documentary. I thought this was a fantastic story and its the things in her stories she doesn't tell us about that are the darkest parts. Little Girl Blue, Come Cry Your Way Home was another masterpiece.Tooth, Tongue and Claw was another great story that reminds me of the epic Angela Carter. It feels just like a fairy tale and has a great ending. Lastly a shout-out for Deep Within the Marrow, Hidden in My Smile, this tale was so creepy and just shows that Damien Angelica Walters can spin a great horror story from any situation.


About the Author 
Damien Angelica Walters is the author of Cry Your Way Home, Paper Tigers, and Sing Me Your Scars, winner of the 2015 This is Horror Award for Short Story Collection of the Year. Her short fiction has been nominated twice for a Bram Stoker Award, reprinted in The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror and The Year's Best Weird Fiction, and published in various anthologies and magazines, including the Shirley Jackson Award Finalists Autumn Cthulhu and The Madness of Dr. Caligari, World Fantasy Award Finalist Cassilda’s Song, Nightmare Magazine, Black Static, and Apex Magazine. Until the magazine’s closing in 2013, she was an Associate Editor of the Hugo Award-winning Electric Velocipede, and she lives in Maryland with her husband and two rescued pit bulls.

Interview with Cedar Hollow Horror Reviews

Hi everyone. I've recently done an interview for Cedar Hollow Horror Reviews  which is a great site for those who love horror. It has book reviews, film reviews and lots of author dropping by for a quick chat.

You can read the full interview here

Interview with Zero Flash

Hey Guys I recently did an interview with Zero Flash Fiction. This is a really cool site you should definitely check out. They run a regular flash fiction competition with epic prizes and magazine which is edited by David J.Wing.

You can read the full interview here







You can read the full interview here