Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 219

The Sting of Victory by S D Simper- Haunted Halloween Spooktacular

The Sting of Victory
Fallen Gods
Book One
S D Simper

Genre: Adult Dark Romantic Fantasy (LGBT)

Publisher: Endless Night Publications

Date of Publication:  September 14th 2018

ISBN: 978-1-7324611-1-6

Number of pages: 400
Word Count:  102K

Cover Artist: Jade Mere

Tagline: The cost of love is always high.

Book Description:

“When faced with monstrosity, become the greater monster. The sting of victory will fade with time.”

When Flowridia, a witch granted power by an unknown demon, deceives an alluring foreign diplomat, she is promoted to a position of power to conceal her falsehood. Thrust into a world of politics and murderous ambition, she has her gentle heart and her Familiar to guide her – as well as a drunk Celestial with a penchant for illusion.

Meanwhile, Lady Ayla Darkleaf, Grand Diplomat of Nox’Kartha, smiles with predatory charm and wields her blades with a dancer’s grace. Flowridia falls into a toxic love affair, one she knows will end in heartbreak. But as Ayla’s legacy as a vampiric creature unfolds, Flowridia begins to see the broken woman behind the monster.

When a foreign emperor dies at the hands of a mysterious interloper, one who seeks to collect the greatest sources of power in the realms, Flowridia’s kingdom is charged to stop him. But Flowridia’s devotion becomes torn between duty to her own and the woman whose claws grip her heart.

In the ensuing clash of Gods, Flowridia must choose her loyalties with care – the fate of kingdoms rest in her hands.


Amazon

Excerpt:
The next morning, twelve roses sat in a bouquet on her bedside table. Flowridia steadily blinked into wakefulness, smiling fondly in the dim morning light.The scratching of a pen on paper alerted her to the presence beside her. She turned over, only to see Ayla sitting in her bed, legs under the covers. The lithe woman, still fully dressed and hair well-kempt, glanced down from the nondescript book in her hand. The other held a pen. “Good morning,” Ayla said, and she turned the book toward her.Flowridia saw a detailed ink drawing of her own sleeping image, her breath leaving her as she studied the near-perfect likeness. Each individual strand of hair seemed ready to burst from the page, her lips glossy, and even the gentle blemishes of her face – her faint freckles and hints of scars – held a delicate beauty about them. A stunning image, and Flowridia felt heat color her cheeks.This was how Ayla saw her. “It’s beautiful.” “You can have it. I have others like it,” Ayla said, and she ripped the page from the book and leaned over to place it on Flowridia’s table. She set the book aside and slid down next to Flowridia and the little wolf who slept beside her.“I didn’t expect you to be here,” Flowridia said softly, and when Ayla pressed their lips together, she smiled wide. A vicious grin tugged at Ayla’s mouth as she pulled away. “What’s the worst Casvir can do? Kill me?” She chuckled and snaked her arms around Flowridia’s waist, keeping their bodies flush together. “Besides, I got carried away with drawing. After you fell asleep, I realized how peaceful you are to watch.”An odd statement, and Flowridia raised an eyebrow. “I would have thought you already knew that, with how often you’d snuck into my bedroom.”“Clever girl,” Ayla said, and she planted a kiss on Flowridia’s cheek. Feeling brave, Flowridia dared to add, “And you have other drawings like it, you said?”A wide and dangerous grin spread across Ayla’s face. “Most are from memory. But it’s been a long time since I’ve had as pretty a subject as you.”Somewhere in the depths of Flowridia’s sense of self-preservation, she suspected she ought to object to this, yet this sudden change in Ayla’s decorum, while jarring, wasn’t unappreciated. Instead, she said, “How did you learn to draw so well?”Ayla chuckled. “When you’ve lived as many centuries as I have, you pick up a few hobbies.” Her hand moved up to stroke Flowridia’s hair, her neck, and as she traced down, Ayla flinched at the scar. She glanced down and leaned in to place a kiss at the top, above the collar of Flowridia’s dress. “Give it time. It will fade.”By Flowridia’s side, the small wolf stirred, perhaps awakened by their conversing. In clumsy motions, Demitri approached Ayla, even as she leaned away, visibly wary.“It’s all right if you touch him,” Flowridia said, smiling softly. “You don’t need my permission; only his.”In tentative motions, Ayla offered a hand forward, but Demitri ignored it. Instead he settled into Ayla’s lap, curling into a ball while she kept her hands up, oddly stiff.But before Flowridia could comment, Ayla lowered her hands, letting one settle onto Demitri’s back with a quiet smile. Flowridia watched them fondly, the peaceful scene warming her tender heart. “Ayla, last night . . .” Her breath hitched when Ayla glanced up. “I shouldn’t have told you to leave. I’m sorry.”Ayla held her gaze, her smile fading as she shook her head. “We both said terrible things.” When she returned her attention to Demitri, Flowridia knew Ayla would say nothing more.“You mentioned something else,” Flowridia dared to push. When she hesitated, Ayla reached over to cup her cheek, softness returning to the vampiric woman’s expression. “Are you The Endless Night?”“Oh, Flowra,” Ayla said, amusement in her words. “I promise, I am no demon.” She scattered kisses across Flowridia’s forehead, and with each one Flowridia felt her body relax. A firm kiss pressed against her lips. “No need to worry yourself.”Ayla said nothing more, instead continuing those sweet gestures. Each kiss brought a deeper blush to her cheeks until, giggling, Flowridia dove in to return the favor. Their lips met, and when her tongue parted Ayla’s lips, she reveled in the soft moan her cold companion released.With an apology, she sent Demitri away. Alone with Ayla, Flowridia savored every unmapped curve of her body, before finally settling at the valley between her legs. Bitterness, she discovered, was the sweetest taste of all. Ayla’s pleasure rose with the sun.




About the Author:

S D Simper has lived in both the hottest place on earth and the coldest, spans the employment spectrum from theater teacher to professional editor, and plays more instruments than can be counted on one hand. She and her wife share a home with their two cats and innumerable bookshelves.
https://twitter.com/sdsimper
http://sdsimper.com/
https://sdsimper.blogspot.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8194592.S_D_Simper
https://www.facebook.com/sdsimper/
https://www.instagram.com/sdsimper/

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Enchanting Yuletide: A Multi-Author Anthology

From Children of the MoonBy Jena Baxter
Moonlight shines within my soulMusical notes splash colorViolin, piano, from worlds of oldStirs new life with blossoming wonderSeabirds call in the distant sky Warm breath of forgotten loversMy heart stands with awe and wonderLost in a web of finest silkNotes spiral through twilight endlessIn a fine-spun web of enchantment.



Enchanting Yuletide: A Multi-Author AnthologyJena Baxter, Raven Williams, Ellie Lieberman, Barb Lieberman, Guy Donovan, CK Brewer
Genre: Holiday / Fantasy
Publisher: Pipe and Thimble
Date of Publication: November 15th, 2017
ASIN: B076LLT6JD
Number of pages: 184
Word Count:
Cover Artist: Raven Williams
Tagline: Tis the Season for Magic
Book Description:
Six stories of the holiday season, guaranteed to put you in a festive mood. So, grab your hot chocolate and snuggle up to experience the season as you've never done before. After all, tis the Season for Magic!
Amazon     Amazon Print
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/wXp54hQMP90



About the Author Raven Williams

A prolific writer, Raven began her career in 2010 with a blog and non-fiction, then moving to fiction in 2014, when she began Elven-Jumper, the first book in the Realm.
Jumper Chronicles. She now has 30 books to her name, spanning the Realm Jumper Chronicles, Raven’s Twisted Classics, and the Demon Stones Saga, as well as her non-fiction, with more planned.
When Raven is not writing, she is creating art in the form of abstract paintings, fractal designs, and jewelry pieces that tie into her stories. She is also a caregiver for a disabled family member and two cats. She physically resides in the Northwest Florida Panhandle, but spends most of her time mentally in her Mystic Realms.
Will you join her?
Sign-up for Raven’s Newsletter here: https://mysticrealmscurioshop.com/newsletter-sign-up
Website: https://mysticrealmscurioshop.com
Raven’s Mystic Realms FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/mysticrealmscurioshop/
Facebook Reader’s Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ravensmysticrealms/
Blog: https://ravens-mystic-realms.mn.co/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaveMWilliams
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mysticrealmscurioshop/
Tumblr: http://mysticrealmscurioshop.tumblr.com/

About the Author Jena Baxter

A prolific writer, Jena Baxter creates characters with depth and stories filled with action, emotion, and a little bit of romance. She loves building fantastical worlds and cultures.

Living in Northern California with her husband, Jena enjoys soapmaking, her pets, and writer's conferences. She also reads for a screenwriting contest on an annual basis.
Website: www.jenabaxter.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenabaxterbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenaBaxterBooks
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenabaxterbooks/
Newsletter: http://jenabaxterbooks.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8103907.Jena_Baxter
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jena-Baxter/e/B00M4YF352



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GRIM REAPING READS ONLINE BOOK FAIR

Do you like darker reads?
Head to the GRIM REAPING READS ONLINE BOOK FAIR
-- *FREE* or *DISCOUNTED* books --
Happening NOW until October 31! 
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Spooky Short Stories for Halloween- Wicked Harvest: Michigan Monsters and Macabre

Wicked Harvest: Michigan Monsters and MacabreBook OneJerrod S. Smelker
Genre:  Fiction, Horror
Publisher: Last Leaf Publishing
Date of Publication: Sept 24th, 2018
ISBN:1720157022
Number of pages: 193Word Count: 36,600
Cover Artist: BookDesign
Book Description:
Welcome to the Wicked Harvest: Michigan Monsters and Macabre spooky short stories books.
Inside you will read 10 chilling haunts of encounters with terrifying creatures, cursed fountains, the undead, an abandoned asylum and other creepy and frightening things.
All stories take place in and around Michigan cities and towns and transpire during the delightful season of fall and the greatest holiday of Halloween.
These startling tales are fictional stories of course…or are they?
Amazon

Free Book Friday Forsaken Brethren- A Vampire Romance Twinpack by Sky Purington

Forsaken Brethren- A Vampire Romance Twinpack by Sky Purington
Join the Forsaken on their journey from mortality to vampire. Meet the men they were then the beasts they became in haunting tales of dark and timeless love.
DARKEST MEMORY
Determined to keep Calah safe from an ancient enemy, vampire Gabriel Knight lures her to his estate under false pretenses. Yet he underestimates his overwhelming need for her and their unavoidable draw to the past and medieval England. Now he must fight not only his own unquenchable desires but those of an old and powerful rival bent on destroying them.
HEART OF VESUVIUS
Forsaken by her own kind, Alexandria is on the run from Luciano. That means she has no choice but to flee straight into the arms of a vampire she was determined to forget. Luciano's brother, Salvatore. Now it's a race against time as they try to stay one step ahead of their mutual enemy. A journey that leads them back to ancient Italy where bittersweet secrets are revealed...Secrets that will either mean their end or the start of something they never saw coming.
FREE at Amazon https://amzn.to/2J8e7j9

Free Book Friday

Forsaken Brethren- A Vampire Romance Twinpack by Sky Purington

Join the Forsaken on their journey from mortality to vampire. Meet the men they were then the beasts they became in haunting tales of dark and timeless love.

DARKEST MEMORY

Determined to keep Calah safe from an ancient enemy, vampire Gabriel Knight lures her to his estate under false pretenses. Yet he underestimates his overwhelming need for her and their unavoidable draw to the past and medieval England. Now he must fight not only his own unquenchable desires but those of an old and powerful rival bent on destroying them.

HEART OF VESUVIUS

Forsaken by her own kind, Alexandria is on the run from Luciano. That means she has no choice but to flee straight into the arms of a vampire she was determined to forget. Luciano's brother, Salvatore. Now it's a race against time as they try to stay one step ahead of their mutual enemy. A journey that leads them back to ancient Italy where bittersweet secrets are revealed...Secrets that will either mean their end or the start of something they never saw coming.

Available on Amazon
https://amzn.to/2J8e7j9

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Spooky Short Stories for Halloween- Wicked Harvest: Michigan Monsters and Macabre

Wicked Harvest: Michigan Monsters and Macabre
Book One
Jerrod S. Smelker

Genre: Fiction, Horror

Publisher: Last Leaf Publishing

Date of Publication: Sept 24th, 2018

ISBN:1720157022

Number of pages: 193
Word Count: 36,600

Cover Artist: BookDesign

Book Description:

Welcome to the Wicked Harvest: Michigan Monsters and Macabre spooky short stories books.

Inside you will read 10 chilling haunts of encounters with terrifying creatures, cursed fountains, the undead, an abandoned asylum and other creepy and frightening things.

All stories take place in and around Michigan cities and towns and transpire during the delightful season of fall and the greatest holiday of Halloween.

These startling tales are fictional stories of course…or are they?

https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Harvest...

#WickedHarvest #MichiganMonsters #MichiganMacabre #MichiganSpookyStories #ShortStories #HalloweenTales #HalloweenShortStories

A Bewitching Friday

Witching Hour: Sinister Legends #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/CjLX30mnMAK

Witches’ Quarters Laura M. Snider #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Pdmz30mnMzi

Feature Spotlight & Giveaway ~ EVERYDAY ENCHANTMENTS by Maria DeBlassie #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/g4wQ30mnM6c

Nancy Gideon's Halloween Music Playlist #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/qq8Q30mnMg1

Book Tour/Giveaway!! Raimond, by Anne Marie Andrus #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/MlWe30mnMhD

Dawn of the Dead (1978): Remembering George A. Romero’s Greatest Film Guest Blog by Thomas S. Flowers #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/VT7J30mnMf1

Immortal Descent by Carolyn M. Walker - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/dBeI30mnM9y

Fey by Kirsten Weiss Haunted Halloween Spooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/tdPs30mnM7q

The Harpist Spotlight Tour #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/Aqh930mnMoR

DIY Halloween Costume - Warlock Holmes by G.S. Denning #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/DCQy30mnMtz

Haunted Halloween Spooktacular Tour for The Meadows by London Clarke #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/TlgZ30mnMrx

The Last Hellfighter by Thomas S. Flowers #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/eHgR30mnMq1

Giveaway – Michigan Monsters and the Macabre by Jerrod S Smelker
http://www.fundinmental.com/giveaway-...

The Girl: Unspoken Words Collection by Ella Rye - Trailer - Spotlight!
https://dontjudgeread.blogspot.com/p/...

DIY Halloween Luminaries with Laura Bickle
https://paranormalists.blogspot.com/2...

Haunted Halloween Spooktacular Tour: Stalk by Victoria Danann ~ #Giveaway #Excerpt #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/MDs130mnMk9

My Costume Secret - Have a Variety of Pieces to Mix and Match https://allthingshalloweenguide.blogs... #costumesecrets #DIYCostumes #HalloweenCostumes #Corsets #Bustles #Skirts #Hats

Free Book Friday
Forsaken Brethren- A Vampire Romance Twinpack by Sky Purington
Join the Forsaken on their journey from mortality to vampire. Meet the men they were then the beasts they became in haunting tales of dark and timeless love.
FREE on Amazon
https://amzn.to/2J8e7j9
#FreeBookFriday #twofreebooks #PNR #FreePNR #FreeFantasyRomance #VampireRomance #FreeVampireRomance #PNRVampires #FreeBooks #FreeEbooks #Twinpack #KindleFreebie #FreeonAmazon

Witching Hour: Sinister Legends #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/61KZ30mnMBC

Spooky Short Stories for Halloween- Wicked Harvest: Michigan Monsters and Macabre
Wicked Harvest: Michigan Monsters and Macabre
Jerrod S. Smelker
https://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Harvest...
#WickedHarvest #MichiganMonsters #MichiganMacabre #MichiganSpookyStories #ShortStories #HalloweenTales #HalloweenShortStories

The Girl: Unspoken Words Collection by Ella Rye #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/pHk030mnMmq

Stalk by Victoria Danann #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/i6KJ30mnMj1

THE HARPIST by Michele Roger and M. M. Genet **Excerpt** #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/GZwN30mnMnI

Haunted Halloween Spooktacular Tour: Stalk by Victoria Danann ~ #Giveaway #Excerpt #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/MDs130mnMk9

Celia Breslin - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/WKPx30mnM33

Spooktacular Spotlight A Witch’s Journey by Tena Stetler #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/XDv430mnM0l

Enchanting Yuletide: A Multi-Author Anthology #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/mKiM30mnM4R

Haunted by Darkness by Raven M. Williams and Jena Baxter - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/kPX030mnLZb

Eve of Endless Night by SD Simper - Halloween Flash Fiction #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/rC2p30mnLYk

Halloween Flash Fiction by Celia Breslin #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/wUlc30mnLXu

Haunting Cripple Creek, Colorado with Tena Stetler #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/IwkR30mnLWq

Malevolent by S. Peters-Davis - Haunted Halloween Spooktacular #bewitchingbooktours http://ow.ly/34lL30mnLTZ

Dawn of the Dead (1978): Remembering George A. Romero’s Greatest Film Guest Blog by Thomas S. Flowers

Dawn of the Dead (1978): Remembering George A. Romero’s Greatest FilmGuest Blog by Thomas S. Flowers
Francine Parker: They're still here.Stephen: They're after us. They know we're still in here.Peter: They're after the place. They don't know why; they just remember. Remember that they want to be in here.Francine Parker: What the hell are they?Peter: They're us, that's all, when there's no more room in hell.Stephen: What?Peter: Something my granddad used to tell us. You know Macumba? Vodou. My granddad was a priest in Trinidad. He used to tell us, "When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the Earth."
Dawn of the Dead is among many things a very quotable movie. The scene above is probably everyone's favorite, and for some there are more selective scenes to nibble on. Scientists arguing on what remains of the news broadcast. The SWAT incursion of the Philadelphia apartment building. The refueling scene, the dock scene, the shopping montage. The raiders and ensuing firefight. There are plenty. And if you were to ask me, I can't really say if I personally have an all-time favorite scene, I mean let's be honest here, there are so many to choose from. From the very beginning, Dawn of the Dead lures you in and keeps your attention rooted into the story. The pacing couldn't be more perfect.
But before we delve any further, let's get one of those sweet sweet IMDb synopses’:
"Following an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have risen from the dead, two Philadelphia S.W.A.T. team members, a traffic reporter, and his television executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall."
Okay, well...not bad. Not bad except for one fundamental thing. This synopsis violates one of the Laws of Romeroism. Also, btw, Romeroism is basically as it sounds, the rules or laws set in pace by George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, and Survival of the Dead) as the originator of the "zombie" sub-genre as we know it today, that is the undead consuming the flesh of the living. Please see the following link for a complete detailed list of all the Laws of Romeroism. So which "law" did the synopsis violate? In Romeroesque zombie movies, the zombies are never called zombies...except for that one time in Land of the Dead when Dennis Hopper's character says, "Zombies...they freak me out, man."
Anyway, that's neither here nor there. The round-about point being that Dawn of the Dead was Romero's second film, the one in which he began establishing the rules for his "zombies." In Night of the Living Dead, he had (at the time) no idea that he was creating an entirely new sub-genre in horror, that his "ghouls" would eventually become more popular than that of Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon (Gillman), and the Invisible Man, the pillars of horror themselves.
Dawn of the Dead was also the first "dead film" in which Romero wrote and directed without the help of his friend and partner from Night of the Living Dead, John Russo. I'm not entirely sure what caused the split, but in an interview with Lee Karr in 2009, this is what George had to say regarding Russo:"I love John, I still love John. John is the most practical guy - you can have a conversation with John about anything, politics, movies, whatever. Anything he says you may not agree with it, but he's got a practical approach to it...and therefore you can never defeat his arguments, even though you would like to! I just wish John would cut a couple of chords and loosen himself up a little bit. I think he is too strict on himself and he chooses a business approach. I think he could have been a superstar, but he took the safer route. He bet the red-black, instead of ever putting it on number 17."
Looking back at Dawn of the Dead, one can see the amount of risk George A. Romero put in to make this film. Dawn remained independent yet upped the budget that Night of the Living Dead had from 114,000 to 650,000. And Dawn would go on to gross over 5 million at the box office. Not only was Dawn a "home run" in terms of investment, but over the years it has remained in the hearts and minds of fans worldwide, earning itself a place within the lexicon of cult classics. Even infamous critic Roger Ebert said Dawn was, "one of the best horror films ever made -- and, as an inescapable result, one of the most horrifying. It is gruesome, sickening, disgusting, violent, brutal and appalling."
Watching Dawn of the Dead, one cannot escape the lure of the story. From the very get-go, we want to know what's going on. The first scene opens with a shot of red carpet and leading lady Francine Parker (played by Gaylen Ross) waking from a nightmare into a more literal nightmare. She's at a news-station, and the news ain't good (is it ever?). People are frantic, running every which way, barely holding on to whatever discipline they have left. Most have fled, as Stephen (played by David Emge) quips, "someone must survive." Francine seems determined to do her duty, and that is to broadcast as long as possible, but in the end let's go on the career she undoubtedly worked hard to build.
From the news station, we cut to an apartment building in Philadelphia (really in Pittsburgh) as a SWAT team readies to raid and dispose of the collected "dead" the residents have refused to hand over to the "proper" authorities. Martial law has apparently been given and the order stands that all "dead" must be properly "disposed" of. But as it seems, some still honor the dead, as I think Peter (played by Ken Foree) says later on during the raid. The most startling moment here is not when the brown makeup faced "Puerto Ricoian" comes running out only to get gunned down, but the small cracks in the demeanor of some of the SWAT members, most notably when "Woolie's gone ape shit, man." There's also a more foreboding scene with the one-legged priest, as he says:
"Many have died, last week, on these streets. In the basement of this building, you will find them. I have given them the last rites. Now, you do what you will. You are stronger than us. But soon, I think they be stronger than you. When the dead walk, señores, we must stop the killing... or lose the war..."
What is the priest talking about here? Just the undead in the apartment building, or something more? See, this is when horror really shines, when it forces audiences to ask the questions they typically avoid asking. This scene takes about less than a minute to play out, but the ramification of what was said are everlasting. And there are more questions that will be asked as Dawn of the Dead continues. From the apartment building, we're taken near the docks where Stephen and Francine prepare the News Helicopter for their impromptu escape from the city. If your watching the Uncut edition, there are some added scenes here. As Stephen radios, the "post has been abandoned." But not everyone had fled. The couple have a close shave with another party who have thoughts of running. A group of surviving police, as it would seem, with a notable actor who will make a return appearance in Day of the Dead, though not as the same character, are poised to take more than their share, giving Stephen a "hard time" for taking "company" fuel. Luckily, Roger and Peter arrive and chase the "bad men" away.
Our group escape the city unscathed and as they are flying around looking for refuge, they pass over another group of what we might imagine from the end of Night of the Living Dead, a hodgepodge collection of military, police, huntsmen, various first responders and country locals, all banded together. One might feel safe with them, as the saying goes, there is safety in numbers, right? Except for the odd sensation, the way they treat the dead or undead, playing around with them, wrestling with them, lynching them up in trees and using them as target practice. What does their actions say about the human condition? That we demonize our enemies and thus become demons ourselves, perhaps?
After another close shave fueling up, the group passes over an abandoned mall. They've been flying for hours now and are in need of rest. There's an upstairs area that seems isolated from the rest of the mall and so they decided to make camp. But after spending some time there, thoughts of looting and pillaging consume them, all but Francine who wants nothing more than to continue north. The boys get a sort of consumerist fever, that everything in the mall could be theirs if only they had the gumption to take it. And they do, they plan how to cut off the flow of undead from coming into the complex and work at removing those already inside. Roger (played by  Scott H. Reiniger) is bitten during an episode he has, cracking up just like Woolie had at the beginning. And it really forces the question, was it all worth it? Sure, they get the spoils, there's even a fun little montage of them enjoying their hard fought gains. Eventually the fun wears thin and after Roger passes away, comes back, and is killed again, the sting is felt on the faces of the characters. As Francine says:
"Stephen, I'm afraid. You're hypnotized by this place. All of you! You don't see that it's not a sanctuary, it's a prison! Let's just take what we need and get out of here!"
Eventually raiders stumble upon the mall and more deaths follow. In the end, the mall is abandoned and we're left wondering was it worth it? Stephen could have listened to Peter and just let the raiders take what they wanted and go, but no. He became possessive, hypnotized by the lore of stuff, of ownership, even though they never really owned any of it. And what good did any of that stuff do? What could they do with it? Trade? Barter? What hole did the mall fill for those characters? Looking at the mall from a survivors perspective, it certainly had a feeling of security, four walls and all and plenty of space to run and escape. But as proved by the raiders, the mall is a high target. Protecting a bunch of stuff they can't even really use seems pointless, why not just take what they need and continue north as Francine wanted? What was the attraction of staying?
Personally speaking, I think it was the normalcy the mall offered. Stephen and Peter both quipped that the reason why the undead were coming to the mall was because it was a place of importance to them, something they "remembered." Yet, there they were too. For shelter, at first, yes. But they stayed for another reason, to "play house," as Stephen said to Francine when he was trying to convince her why they should stay at the mall. The mall had "everything they needed..." but did it really?
Dawn of the Dead was selected as the last film to be reviewed for this year's zombie themed Fright Fest because it is the fundamental "be-all" for a zombie movie. Fighting words for some, I'm sure. But few can deny the impact Dawn has had on the sub-genre and the continuingly growing culture surrounding the film. Dawn of the Dead is my personal favorite horror film, second only to John Carpenter's The Thing. Why? Well... Romero didn't rush the progression of the story, clocking in over two hours of gory storytelling, which I favor. The length and pace to me feel natural and wonderfully nihilistic. Not only giving us horror fans all the blood and guts we could have want for, but also giving us something else to chew on, all the various questions raised concerning humanity and concerning ourselves.




Planet of the DeadBook OneThomas S. Flowers
Genre: Horror
Publisher: Shadow Work Publishing
Date of Publication: Oct 13, 2017
ISBN: 1988819024ASIN: B075X2WLX1
Number of pages: 268 (Kindle), 266 (paperback)Word Count: 60K
Cover Artist: Travis Eck
Tagline: Live. Die. Or become one of the Undead.
Book Description:
News reports speak of mass panic and violence spreading across the globe. Negligent leaders hide behind misinformation. But in an age of paranoia and suspicion, who can say what is true anymore? Struggling to survive against a sweeping epidemic that has engulfed the planet, survivors will have to make hard choices in a world that no longer makes sense.
Amazon About the Author:

Who doesn't love a good story? Thomas's favorite books include All Quiet on the Western Front, Salem's Lot, and Hell House.
In his own writings, he aspires to create fantastic worlds with memorable characters and haunted places. His stories range from Shakespearean gore, classic monster tales, and even stories that hurt him the most to write about, haunted soldiers and PTSD. Residing in the swamps of Houston, Texas, with his wife and daughter, Thomas's debut novel, Reinheit, was eventually published with Shadow Work Publishing, along with Lanmò, The Hobbsburg Horror, FEAST, Beautiful Ugly, and Planet of the Dead.
His veteran focused paranormal thriller series, The Subdue Series, filled with werewolves, Frankenstein-inspired monsters, cults, alter-dimensional insects, witches, and the undead are published with Limitless Publishing.
In 2008, Thomas was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army where he served three tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2014, Thomas graduated from University of Houston-Clear Lake with a Bachelors in History. He is the senior editor at Machine Mean, a site that reviews horribly awesome and vintage horror movies and books from guest contributors who obsess over a wide range of strange yet oddly related topics.
Website https://thomassflowers.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/ThomasSFlowers
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ThomasSFlowers/
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9537035.Thomas_S_Flowers
Machine Mean https://machinemean.org/
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Nancy Gideon's Halloween Music Playlist

Nancy’s Halloween Playlist https://bit.ly/2POWbNq

Werewolves Of London - Warren Zevon


Bad Moon Rising - John Fogerty 


Werewolf, Baby! - Rob Zombie 


  Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo 


Time Warp - Rocky Horror Picture Show


The Night - Disturbed

 
Somebody's Watching Me- Rockwell 

 
Hungry Like the Wolf - Duran Duran

The Animal - Disturbed


Thriller - Michael Jackson 
Prince of DreamsHouse of TerriotBook FourNancy Gideon
Genre: Paranormal
Date of Publication: October 2, 2018
Word Count: 98,500
ASIN B07H4XMSC9

Cover Artist: Patricia Lazarus
Tagline:  Written in the cards . . . Who was this guy, her rescuer, her hero, her knight in shining 2-carats?
Book Description:
Kip . . . Prince in the shapeshifter House of Terriot
He'd said he wasn't a mobster. . . She should have asked if he was a monster.Who was this too good to be true, always ready in a crisis guy working a menial job for her father? Ophelia knew things. Something was not quite normal about the Kip Terriot hiding behind another name in lace-up dress shoes and a preppy wardrobe – something wild and exciting as all hell. A dangerous something calling to that restless difference in her own soul.
Ophelia . . . daughter of his enemy, girl of his dreams
So sassy, so sweet so perfect . . . and what he had to do would destroy her.Kip was in New Orleans to save his clan and his kind, not to play white knight for Ophelia Brady with her quirky habits, curvy body and tormented past. His deception would rip the heart from her world, not help heal it. Was his family’s nemesis using his own daughter to make Kip the played instead of the player, pulling him between love and duty to make an impossible choice?
“Emotionally captivating! A brilliant conclusion to a unique series!” – Book Bling
Book Trailer:  https://youtu.be/g9qdy5RmkJg
Amazon


Excerpt from Prince of Dreams . . .An unnatural being from a family of shapeshifters.            Even now Ophelia didn’t know whether to laugh or weep at the absurdity of it. Things like that didn’t exist. Except she knew they did, just outside the peripheral, where worlds of fact and fiction met and mingled and blurred. She’d felt their presence in the shadows of reality all her life. She met them in her dreams and visions.            Kip Terriot gave them gorgeous face and form, but underneath, he was that creature with red eyes and sharp teeth. Her big, bad wolf, who’d protected her from a robber and defended her from abuse, who’d rescued her sister from the attack she still refused to acknowledge. Who loved his family and would do anything for them?             Who she loved too much to let go but couldn’t give what he needed because she wasn’t his kind.            Which was the greater fear, what he was or that she’d fail him?“What are we going to do, Phe? I don’t want to lose this.” He brought her knuckles to his lips for a kiss.            “I don’t want to lose you. But I already have, haven’t I? You’re a million miles away right now and almost out of reach.”            “I’m right here.” His argument brought her to him, her knees stepping over his lap to straddle him, arms circling his shoulders, face nestling against the curve of his throat where she rode his hard swallow. He held tight, trying to believe they could make this moment last, this glorious, fiery, tender moment that offered so much and promised so little.            “You are my prince,” she whispered, breath moist and soft against his neck. “My Prince of Cups. You rode into my life bringing romance, shaking my world to its foundation that first night I met you. It was in the cards.”            “Fate,” he murmured, smile in his voice. “No escaping it.” His fingers threaded through her hair, pulling back gently to tip up her face, offering sweetly parted lips and glistening eyes.            He’d planned a sweet kiss but the taste of urgency and need in the sweep of her tongue ruined that noble ambition. They feasted upon one another for long, desperate minutes until she rocked back, thumb swiping the dampness from his mouth.
            “Go, be who you need to be for them. Then come back and be who I need you to be.
About the Author:
Nancy Gideon is the award-winning bestseller of over 65 romances ranging from historical, regency and series contemporary suspense to dark paranormal and horror, with a couple of produced screenplays and non-fiction writing books tossed into the mix.
A legal assistant for a brilliant criminal attorney in Central Michigan (when not at the keyboard working on her latest book in progress), she feeds a Netflix addiction along with all things fur, fin and fowl and dotes on her grandguy.
Nancy’s also written under the pseudonyms Dana Ransom, Rosalyn West and Lauren Giddings. Look for reissues coming soon under those pen names!
Website: http://www.nancygideon.com/
Blog: https://nancygideon.blogspot.com/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/NancyGideonAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyGideon
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Nancy-Gideon/e/B001H9PV8E/  
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/282919.Nancy_Gideon
Nancy Gideon by Moonlight Goodreads Group: 
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/109994-nancy-gideon-by-moonlight
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancygideon/


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