Michael A. Arnzen's Blog: News from Gorelets.com, page 5

Discounted Arnzen Ebooks for Halloween & NaNoWriMo 2019

Seasons greetings!

During the week leading up to Halloween 2019 (10/27-10/31) only you can get the kindle version of my tale of Van Helsing (i.e. unauthorized Dracula sequel), Murrmann, for FREE! Just download it directly from Amazon.com from Sunday 10/27/19 through Thursday 10/31/19 and you’ll have the ebook forever. Enjoy! (I’d love to see some new reader reviews, especially if you liked it.)

Free from 10/27-10/31/19 PST!

I’ve also reduced my other ebooks available on the kindle from Mastication Publications by a buck or two each for a limited time, so browse around while you’re there!

Also, since November is National Novel Writing Month, I’ve lowered the amazon kindle price of Instigation: Creative Prompts on the Dark Side to just $1.99, from now throughout the entire month of November. The book not only includes prompts to trigger some nefarious story/plot ideas, but also specifically includes prompts to help keep prodding you through the tough spots when writing a novel-length work, and features essays in the back of the book about binge writing and more that might help spur you to complete your book in a monthlong haze. But keep it on your ebook device… it’s only received rave reviews from writers who have had success responding to the inspiration and you never know when you could use a little prod of the fork.

If you don’t use amazon or don’t have a kindle, you can also paypal me $1.99 at books@masticationpublications.com and I’ll email you a .pdf version of Instigation.

Happy Halloween, folks!

Exploring Dark Short Fiction Series 2019

Smartly edited by Eric J. Guignard and gorgeously illustrated by Michelle Prebich, these books are an excellent way to get to know (or if you already know them, then to better understand) the pre-eminent writers of SHORT STORIES in the horror genre. They feature five-to-six selected stories that represent their strengths, each including an academic commentary that I provide (along with a longer essay I contribute on why that author matters in the grander scheme of things). It’s a fantastic series of “primers” and serves an important function to the genre, as so many of the authors are celebrated for their novel-length work, rather than their skills in the short form.

This year, Dark Moon Books posted a great overview of the vision and history of the series so far to their website. I have turned in my articles on author Jeffrey Ford, which should be released in the book, Exploring Dark Short Fiction #4: Jeffrey Ford early Fall. Next up will be a collection of work by Chinese author Han Song, near the end of the year, followed by a primer on the renowned British horror writer Ramsey Campbell, and more!

Visit Dark Moon Books to learn more.

StokerCon 2019 Recap

The Horror Writers Association now runs the dominant convention for writers on the dark side, StokerCon — named after Bram Stoker (author of Dracula) and the trophy of the award the association gives to the top books in the horror genre each year. StokerCon convenes annually for serious horror professionals who want to learn and reconnect with the horror genre through topical panel discussions, excellent author readings, significant writing workshops, a mass booksigning and varied presentations… climaxing in a formal Bram Stoker Awards banquet, which celebrates the genre’s top practitioners with what I think remains the coolest trophy in the world: a creepy “house of usher” statuette.  As I’ve written elsewhere, the Stoker Award really matters. And this year’s conference, held in the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, Michigan, mattered a lot, too. Kudos to those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes on site, and all year in preparation — esp. Brian Matthews, James Chambers, and outgoing HWA president Lisa Morton. Your efforts paid off and were appreciated by all.

The convention is for all writers on the dark side, but the Bram Stoker Award banquet was such a treat this year. All the finalists wrote amazing books, and I am still applauding the winners, the majority of whom are pictured below:

The Award winners present at the 2019 Bram Stoker Awards banquet: L-to-R: Kennikki Jones, Brad Hodson, Ellen Datlow, Sara Tantlinger, Gwendolyn Kiste, John Edward Lawson, Jennifer Barnes, Rena Mason, Eric Guignard, JG Faherty, Eugene Johnson
Not Pictured, but present as ghosts: Paul Tremblay, Kiersten White, Victor LaValle, Jess Landry, Meredith Averill

I have a lot of friends in the genre, but I was struck by how many of the winners of the award (as well as the finalists) this year were people I would call close friends and colleagues I’ve worked with in one way or another over my career. And their books were all not only excellent, but a set a high bar for excellence in the genre. It was a joy to applaud them from the audience. I’m particularly proud of my long-term publisher, Raw Dog Screaming Press, for winning the HWA Specialty Press Award for their contributions to the horror genre. RDSP is an independent press who has consistently produced edgy avant-horror, dark full-length poetry collections, and risk fiction by marginalized voices over the years. Well-earned, John Edward Lawson and Jennifer Barnes! (Hint: Come to PulpFest in Pittsburgh this August and you can join in celebrating their Sweet Sixteen).

Jennifer Barnes and John Edward Lawson, hoisting their Specialty Press Award at the 2019 Bram Stoker Award Banquet.
(Yes John is that tall and Jonathan Maberry, the emcee for the banquet, even jokingly called him ‘Sasquatch’ when he had to lower the microphone after John gave his speech).

It was also really cool to see my editor for the Exploring Dark Short Fiction series from Dark Moon Books, Eric Guignard, take the trophy for his Fiction Collection, That Which Grows Wild (Cemetery Dance, 2018) — it was quite a win, because that whole category was amazing, with notable books by Gabino Iglesias, Tim Waggoner, Lucy Snyder and Gemma Files also deserving the honor. If you want to see the range of what horror fiction was about this year, read the numerous stories told in all these collections. (Hint: You also should keep your eyes peeled for the next book in the Dark Short Fiction series on Jeffrey Ford … I’m writing the academic portion of it now and his horror fiction is AMAZING!)

Arnzen with Eric Guignard at the mass book-signing event
(image courtesy of Ellen Datlow)

At the Stoker Banquet, I had the honor of presenting the first award, for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection alongside poet and horror writer Angela Yuriko Smith. Usually presenters either ham it up with some kind of funny skit, or get right down to business and read the list of nominees. Instead of doing that, we decided to treat it like the Oscars, which shows clips from the nominated films before announcing the winner — only in this case, we read excerpts from the poetry books. The lineup was impressive, with Bruce Boston, Marge Simon, Alessandro Manzetti, David Cowen, Donna Lynch and Sara Tantlinger all in the running.

I teach with Sara Tantlinger at Seton Hill, and even mentored her long ago in our MFA program, so I almost lost it when I was handed the envelope and read her name as the winner of the Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection! Her acceptance speech was incredibly moving. I am proud of her beyond words. She won the prize for
her fantastic second book, The Devil’s Dreamland (Strangehouse Books, 2018) — this book is deeply researched and written so well; the chilling history of serial killer HH Holmes is told through a poetic assemblage of voices that build to a stunning resolution. (Tip: You should get that book, but also pre-order her upcoming novella, To Be Devoured).

Arnzen with Sara Tantlinger and her brand new Stoker trophy.
(image courtesy of Matt Betts)

The whole event was streamed on youtube, so if you scroll to about the 4:20 timestamp, you can watch the presentation and listen to the acceptance speech online:

Aside: Prior to the awards, I had the thought that Angela and I might try to be clever and each write a poem based on the titles and presses — treating the ballot like a creative prompt — but that was too obscure and silly for this event. Even so, I wrote one, and shared it instead during my reading at the convention. Here it is, for posterity:

A Horror Poetry Dreamland

near Devil’s Lake
legions of weasels and screaming dogs
press against the crystal doors of the strangehouse
where witches war with books
behind the saffron artifacts within

Speaking of my reading, perhaps you’d like to hear some of it? Here’s an excerpt I recorded for you:

Playing with the microphone as a weapon at my fiction reading.

At this reading session, Bob Eccles read several impressive drabbles, and April Grey shared excerpts from her books, and it was a lot of fun. Also that day, I taught a workshop to writers called “Making the Reader Squirm” — it was my fourth time running this course in “going for the gross-out” in artful ways, and I hope I get a chance to teach at the proverbial “Horror University” once again. People like Mark Matthews, Colleen Anderson and Den Shewman were good sports in the class. You can see a few snapshots from that class on my instagram page.

I attended several panels on hot topics in the genre, ranging from Weird Poetry to Historical Horror. The three panels I had the privilege to sit on during the con were also a highlight.  “Writing from Prompts” allowed me to talk about creative writing exercises gleaned from my SHU classes, as well as my non-fiction guidebook, Instigation: Creative Prompts on the Dark Side — and to learn new strategies from my peers.  Moderator Marge Simon and I even shared short stories we wrote about the same image, showing how a stimulus can lead to different imaginary reactions. I also was a respondent to a talk on “Horror Flash Fiction” along with Asher Ellis, moderated by another alum from the Writing Popular Fiction program, Donna Munro. This was a blast, and Donna even used a powerpoint about the art of the short-short that was really impressive. Another panel “Twisted Tropes” was an insightful conversation on bringing originality into horror, developing my thinking about a novel and short stories I’m working on, and it was a highlight to share the table with Stephen Graham Jones, Meghan Arcuri, Kyla Lee Ward, John Kachuba and Rob E. Boley.

“Writing from Prompts” panel. L-to-R: Linda Addison, Angela Yuriko Smith, Michael Bailey, Marge Simon, Karen Bovenmyer, Michael Arnzen
Image courtesy of David E. Cowen

As you can tell, I was busy. But also just buzzing with joy. Beyond all the programming and ceremony, StokerCon was just a good time to chat up with old friends and make new ones, celebrating the diversity, the history, and the persistent growth of today’s horror community. I can’t possibly name everyone I shared a laugh with or was pleased to finally meet, but I enjoyed every encounter, and it was wonderful to gather with various factions I am a part of — from the many writers of Raw Dog Screaming Press who were in attendance or guests, to all the authors I’ve gotten to know through Seton Hill University’s MFA in Writing Popular Fiction program… there were so many in attendance it was like a rogue alumni party. (Hint: if curious about WPF, you could always attend the In Your Write Mind Workshop hosted every summer on the college campus — anyone can register, and it also features a fantastic (and huge) book fair open to the public — Raw Dog will be there this June, too! It runs June 27-30th in Greensburg, PA — details).

It’s impossible to wrap up this reflection, so I’ll just post a few photos to close out. Wish I took more, but the memories are branded on the brain. I probably will not be at the next StokerCon in UK, but I definitely will attend StokerCon 2021 planned to transpire in Denver! Meanwhile, see you online and in the bookstore…

Got to hang out a lot with old friends and hardcore horror fiction collectors Bill and Jeanne Bush



Reconnected with horror writer & academic friend, Doug Ford



I learned a lot from the Historical Horror panel



Finally met Kaaron Warren at the booksigning.



Laughed a lot with editor and author, Nicholas Day



Stoker emcee former Jeff Strand with Stoker emcee present Jonathan Maberry



JL Gribble and Jennifer Barnes at the Raw Dog Press table in the dealer’s room, where lots of good books were to be had.




Former WPF mentee EV Knight with Matt DeWitt



Got to catch up with the great Gabino Iglesias at the autograph session.



The Weird Poetry panel debated and shared works in a delightful way.



JG Faherty won the “Mentor of the Year” award.



John Edward Lawson fondles the gorgeous Specialty Press Award alongside Stephanie Wytovich at our banquet table.



Awesome poetry reading by Saba Razvi, Sara Tantlinger and Donna Lynch



Always take a selfie with Jeff Strand

Filing Jointly — a tax crime poem for 30 Days of The 5-2

Filing Jointly

No matter what the Fed says,

we always put the tax deadline

in the calendar on the 14th

so it sounds like a Valentine’s Day

date to review our year in April.

This year is special

because I am doing it alone,

remembering him, accounting for his actions,

and mine, itemizing all the entries.

It’s an emotional audit.

I tear up as I write off

the axe I’d hit him with,

along with all the other tools

I used afterward

as “business expenses”;

and I smile when I enter

the checks I received

from his life insurance —

far more than I ever earned

as his secretarial spouse.

But the real payoff

gushes from deducting

his medical expenses.

I think of him suffering

in the hospital

for a month afterward —

unable to talk without a tongue

or write without a hand,

or even ask for help,

let alone know he needed it,

with only half a brain left

in his cracked skull.

I laugh when I calculate my refund,

wondering if his gold-digging mistress

is itemizing all his gifts as income,

and if I should invest myself

in another relationship.

I didn’t do it for all this stupid money,

but thanks for the Valentine’s gifts, honey.

*****

ABOUT:
This poem is my contribution to “30 Days of the 5-2” — a special guest blogging marathon, with a new poem or article posted each day of April in celebration of National Poetry Month.

The 5-2 Crime Poetry Journal is a wonderful place to find your out-of-the-ordinary poetry. I’ve appeared in it several times in the past, with everything from poetry recitations to criticism to interviews. Check them out and if you support their ebooks, editor Gerald So will contribute the income to Academy of American Poets this month.

Horror Stories for Xmas 2018!

Editor Kevin Kennedy is back with yet another batch of horror stories for xmas with Collected Christmas Horror Shorts Vol. 2, now available on amazon.com in ebook and paperbook formats. It includes a paranormal story by me I think you’ll enjoy called “Catching Santa” and the entire collection is a great way to bring in the holiday spirit (literally).

Publisher’s Description:

Some people love Christmas for religious reasons, others prefer it for the food, drink and parties, but for some other people, it’s just another time of year to get up to mischief. This anthology is filled with tales of not-so-happy Christmases, tales that they don’t want to tell you about in the movies or songs. It’s time to break out your new Christmas slippers, rip open a box of chocolates and pour yourself a drink. Lock your doors and get comfy. You’re in for one helluva ride.Merry Christmas from all of us!Contains stories by: Amy Cross, Michael A. Arnzen, Christina Bergling, Andrew Lennon, J.C. Michael, Lisa Morton, Mike Duke, C.S. Anderson, Mark Cassell, Peter Oliver Wonder, Suzanne Fox, Matthew Brockmeyer, James Matthew Byers, Kevin J. Kennedy, Weston Kincade, Matt Hickman, P. Mattern, Mark Fleming, Veronica Smith, Steven Stacy, Chris Motz & Sara Tantlinger. Edited by Brandy Yassa

Order to read on your kindle now at amazon.com

And complete your collection look for Vol. 1 which includes my zombie tale, “All Naughty, No Nice”!

For more recent Arnzen stories, see the Anthologies page.

Exploring Dark Short Fiction Series 2018: Kaaron Warren #2 & Nisi Shawl #3

Following up on the success of the first study of contemporary writer Steve Rasnic Tem, 2018 saw the publication of two new entries into the Exploring Dark Short Fiction Series published by Dark Moon Books: Primers to Australian author Kaaron Warren (#2) and — just released this December — Afrofuturist Nisi Shawl (#3).

Smartly edited by Eric J. Guignard and gorgeously illustrated by Michelle Prebich, these books are an excellent way to get to know (or if you know them, to better understand) the pre-eminent writers of SHORT STORIES in the horror genre, because they feature five-to-six selected stories that represent their strengths, each including an academic commentary that I provide (along with a longer essay on why that author matters in the grander scheme of things).

Visit Dark Moon Books to learn more.

Joltober 2018

I often intermittently post dark poetry and sick “very short stories” (sometimes called #vss) on social media, but to celebrate Halloween season this year, I’ve decided to post a new “jolt” each day to my twitter account throughout October 2018.

Since my friends at Raw Dog Screaming Press helped instigate me, I thought it would be fitting to call it “Joltober” in tribute to 100 Jolts, which they published originally 14 years ago!

Keep your eyes on this for a new horror story posted daily throughout this October “#Joltober: A Horror Story a Day for October (2018)”https://t.co/J3R4IpjcXr

— Michael Arnzen (@MikeArnzen) October 1, 2018

The tweets will be archived on a special “Twitter Moment” page, which should be publicly accessible, but if not, you can also always visit the Nest here on gorelets.com to browse. Come check it out from time to time as we build up to a rip-roaring Halloween night!

HWA Poetry Showcase V

[NOTE: Submissions are now closed and the book is being edited now published in Fall 2018!  Preview the TOC. Read my Goodreads review. ]

April is National Poetry (& Poetry Writing) Month — and the Horror Writers Association is celebrating with a call for submissions of poetry to their next anthology, the HWA Poetry Showcase V! Deadline is end of April 2018. Guidelines appear down below.

I’m on the jury vetting the entries alongside Mercedes Yardley and editor Stephanie Wytovich. You do need to be member of the HWA to be accepted, sure — but…If you’re a pro horror writer, you should join the Horror Writers Association and you’ll get many benefits, beyond the exclusive opportunity to publish in books like this one — from mentorship in a community of like-minded weirdos, to free ebooks and participation in the Bram Stoker Awards.

Complete your collection!

I’ve been a member since the late 1980s and it is an honor to be a part of their latest creative venture. I’ve also been a featured poet in one of the past Showcase volumes, and I can vouch for the whole series of them, which you can still purchase on amazon.com for peanuts — get the whole bundle of them. So if you’re not a writer, I highly recommend you check the HWA Showcase out for some great reading and celebrate the power of poetry on the dark side.

***

GUIDELINES FOR HWA POETRY SHOWCASE VOL. 5

SUBMIT HERE

The HWA is proud to announce that it will call for submissions from its members for the Poetry Showcase Volume V beginning April 1. Stephanie Wytovich will be the editor for the volume. This year’s judges, along with Stephanie, will include Michael A. Arnzen and Mercedes Yardley.

Only HWA members (of any status) may submit. The reason for this can be found in the word “Showcase.” The HWA is very proud of the tradition of poetry in the horror genre and of the HWA’s support for poetry. This volume is designed to showcase the talents of HWA members which is why it is now limited to members. We will verify membership and if a non-member submits he or she must obtain some level of membership prior to the final cut for the volume to be considered.

The rules for this year’s volume will be similar to previous years:

1. No more than 35 lines. Each author or group of collaborators on a single poem may only submit one poem. Speculative and dark verse is welcome but it should have a “horror” slant.

2. No fancy formatting, dual columns, lining of poems in the center of the page, poems that require strange configurations to look like an image and similar formatting. This may certainly be pretty but are very difficult to translate to a single page for publishing. Poems should be submitted in .rtf, .txt or Word formats.

3. Any form – free verse, metered, rhyming, haiku, Tanka etc. – is acceptable. But, if you do use a more traditional form, please remember that poor writing, overly heavy reliance on cliché and imitation will significantly reduce any chances of acceptance. We need good poetry. For example. George (Lord Byron) Gordon already owns the phrase “She walks in beauty, like the light.” Evangeline Walton and many others have overused the phrase “She Walks in Darkness.” Stay away from these type of archetypal clichés. HWA members are good writers for a reason; they write well. Your poetry needs to be written well and you would want to be if published.

4. English only please.

5. No previously published works or simultaneous submissions.

6. Rights will revert on publication with the HWA retaining the right to use the poem in relation to promoting the volume.

7. The HWA will give you the choice of a $5.00 payment or a hard bound copy of Volume V.

8. HWA will also provide accepted authors with an e-copy of the Volume.

9. HWA will most likely also provide a discount code to authors to purchase additional copies.

Submissions will open April 1 to celebrate National Poetry Month. Submissions will close April 30 at midnight Pacific. Submissions will be made through the HWA’s Submittable pages. Our hope is to have a decision on the poems that are accepted and the top four poems of the Volume before the end of May with a publication date sometime late in the upcoming Summer.

The past three volumes of the Poetry Showcase have been top Kindle sellers. This is a chance of getting your work in a “bestseller” and to help the HWA celebrate and promote the contribution of poetry to the genre.

SUBMIT HERE

***

Good luck, and keep your eyes peeled for the release of this book later in the year. If you’d like something to prompt an idea, try my online prompt generator, Diabolique Strategies!

Sample “draw” from Diabolique Strategies

HWA Poetry Showcase V: Call for Horror Submissions

April is National Poetry (& Poetry Writing) Month — and the Horror Writers Association is celebrating with a call for submissions of poetry to their next anthology, the HWA Poetry Showcase V! Deadline is end of April 2018. Guidelines appear down below.

I’m on the jury vetting the entries alongside Mercedes Yardley and editor Stephanie Wytovich. You do need to be member of the HWA to be accepted, sure — but…If you’re a pro horror writer, you should join the Horror Writers Association and you’ll get many benefits, beyond the exclusive opportunity to publish in books like this one — from mentorship in a community of like-minded weirdos, to free ebooks and participation in the Bram Stoker Awards.

Complete your collection!

I’ve been a member since the late 1980s and it is an honor to be a part of their latest creative venture. I’ve also been a featured poet in one of the past Showcase volumes, and I can vouch for the whole series of them, which you can still purchase on amazon.com for peanuts — get the whole bundle of them. So if you’re not a writer, I highly recommend you check the HWA Showcase out for some great reading and celebrate the power of poetry on the dark side.

***

GUIDELINES FOR HWA POETRY SHOWCASE VOL. 5

SUBMIT HERE

The HWA is proud to announce that it will call for submissions from its members for the Poetry Showcase Volume V beginning April 1. Stephanie Wytovich will be the editor for the volume. This year’s judges, along with Stephanie, will include Michael A. Arnzen and Mercedes Yardley.

Only HWA members (of any status) may submit. The reason for this can be found in the word “Showcase.” The HWA is very proud of the tradition of poetry in the horror genre and of the HWA’s support for poetry. This volume is designed to showcase the talents of HWA members which is why it is now limited to members. We will verify membership and if a non-member submits he or she must obtain some level of membership prior to the final cut for the volume to be considered.

The rules for this year’s volume will be similar to previous years:

1. No more than 35 lines. Each author or group of collaborators on a single poem may only submit one poem. Speculative and dark verse is welcome but it should have a “horror” slant.

2. No fancy formatting, dual columns, lining of poems in the center of the page, poems that require strange configurations to look like an image and similar formatting. This may certainly be pretty but are very difficult to translate to a single page for publishing. Poems should be submitted in .rtf, .txt or Word formats.

3. Any form – free verse, metered, rhyming, haiku, Tanka etc. – is acceptable. But, if you do use a more traditional form, please remember that poor writing, overly heavy reliance on cliché and imitation will significantly reduce any chances of acceptance. We need good poetry. For example. George (Lord Byron) Gordon already owns the phrase “She walks in beauty, like the light.” Evangeline Walton and many others have overused the phrase “She Walks in Darkness.” Stay away from these type of archetypal clichés. HWA members are good writers for a reason; they write well. Your poetry needs to be written well and you would want to be if published.

4. English only please.

5. No previously published works or simultaneous submissions.

6. Rights will revert on publication with the HWA retaining the right to use the poem in relation to promoting the volume.

7. The HWA will give you the choice of a $5.00 payment or a hard bound copy of Volume V.

8. HWA will also provide accepted authors with an e-copy of the Volume.

9. HWA will most likely also provide a discount code to authors to purchase additional copies.

Submissions will open April 1 to celebrate National Poetry Month. Submissions will close April 30 at midnight Pacific. Submissions will be made through the HWA’s Submittable pages. Our hope is to have a decision on the poems that are accepted and the top four poems of the Volume before the end of May with a publication date sometime late in the upcoming Summer.

The past three volumes of the Poetry Showcase have been top Kindle sellers. This is a chance of getting your work in a “bestseller” and to help the HWA celebrate and promote the contribution of poetry to the genre.

SUBMIT HERE

***

Good luck, and keep your eyes peeled for the release of this book later in the year. If you’d like something to prompt an idea, try my online prompt generator, Diabolique Strategies!

Sample “draw” from Diabolique Strategies

Monstrosity by Tim Curran – an Overlooked Gem

Monstrosity by Tim Curran

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review posted originally to goodreads.com

I recently taught Tim Curran’s MONSTROSITY in a college-level introductory lit course — literally titled “Monstrosities.” The book exhibits Curran’s wildly playful imagination when set free and allowed to take inventive extremes. I don’t want to spoil any surprises, because this is a book where you begin to turn the pages dying to see what crazy creature will be unleashed next, and whether or not the author will be able to top the one you just read about, with your jaw on the floor. There are scenes in the book that will stick with me as truly frightening for a long time — two, especially (an early one where Frank gets stuck in, oh, let’s call it a hammock, and another one where the protagonist and his romantic interest get stuck in the equivalent of a house-sized Venus Fly Trap). The only weaknesses of this novel, really, are all about the plot: the action/adventure and rescue plots felt too simple and a bit predictable at times to me, but they allowed the monsters and the surprising revelations they harbored to dominate, which I enjoyed immensely. As a post-apocalyptic kaiju kind of story, it really works well and Curran just has a lot of fun. There’s a lot of extreme gore, but it avoids the excesses of similar “extreme horror” fiction (I think — not sure, because I’m kind of numb to it all), and he handles everything supremely well. The changes he dramatized — embodied by “The Food” — are really described in evocative ways. The book doesn’t belabor the ecological nightmare that the theme implies, and I would have liked much more depth to that, but the characters make up for it and what all this means for Frank and his family relations is all worth musing over. An enjoyable, ORIGINAL book and I recommend it for anyone who is looking for a well-written, action packed, modern-day horror story. And my students, for the most part, would whole-heartedly agree.

View all my reviews