Sage Nestler's Blog, page 4

New Release: A 15-Minute Read That Infiltrates Your Psyche

S tay on the Line by Clay McLeod Chapman with Illustrations by Trevor HendersonSynopsis

After a small coastal town is devastated by a hurricane, the survivors gravitate toward a long out-of-service payphone in hopes of talking out their grief and saying goodbye to loved ones, only for it to begin ringing on its own. As more townspeople answer the call, friends and family believed to have been lost to the storm begin searching for a way back home.

This novelette features several new illustrations by Trevor Henderson.

Release Date

July 30, 2024

Shortwave Publishing

Overall Rating

5/5

Spooky Rating

3/5

Quick Take

Clay McLeod Chapman is quickly becoming one of my favorite horror authors! Stay on the Line is a chapbook that he created with Trevor Henderson and is at most a 15-minute read; however, every single word is intentional, there is no space for any kind of filler, and the concept was utterly brilliant. Twilight Zone fans rejoice! This one’s for you.

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“Your voice. I don’t even need to be on the line to hear you now. You’re in my head.”
—

For such a short piece of fiction (at around only 50 pages), I was impressed by how Stay on the Line packed a punch not only in horror but in grief. The concept reminded me a lot of one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes, “Long Distance Call.” For those who haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil it for you, but it involves a young boy who is gifted a toy phone from his grandmother for his birthday and is able to communicate with her after she dies.

The novelette focuses on a small town that is deeply impacted by a hurricane, and one of the only things that remains is an out-of-service payphone. The people of the town begin using the phone as a way to verbalize their grief over their lost loved ones… but then the phone begins ringing on its own.

Clay perfectly married feelings of grief with an intense sense of dread. The story is perfectly paced and slowly escalates before crash landing and leaving the reader in a tailspin. It was a beautiful and scary take on how we experience grief and how letting go can be intensely painful. But how sometimes, we will do whatever we can to hang on, even to our own detriment. The story also highlighted the cost of grief and how our vulnerability during the process can be manipulated – a truly scary thought, and reality, in itself.

The illustrations were spectacular, and reminiscent of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which I thoroughly enjoyed. They are black and white and get bleaker as the story progresses. If ever there was a perfect chapbook, this is it.

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Book Review: A Concept That Could Have been Ingenius…But Wasn’t

The Z Word by Lyndsay King-Miller Synopsis

Packed with action, humor, sex, and big gay feelings, The Z Word is the queer Zombieland you didn’t know you needed.

Chaotic bisexual Wendy is trying to find her place in the queer community of San Lazaro, Arizona, after a bad breakup—which is particularly difficult because her ex is hooking up with some of her friends. And when the people around them start turning into violent, terrifying mindless husks, well, that makes things harder. Especially since the infection seems to be spreading.

Now, Wendy and her friends and frenemies—drag queen Logan, silver fox Beau, sword lesbian Aurelia and her wife Sam, mysterious pizza delivery stoner Sunshine, and, oh yeah, Wendy’s ex-girlfriend Leah—have to team up to stay alive, save Pride, and track the zombie outbreak to its shocking source. Hopefully without killing each other first.

The Z Word is a propulsive, funny, emotional horror debut about a found family coming together to fight corporate greed, political corruption, gay drama, and zombies.

Overall Rating

2/5

Spooky Rating

1/5

Quick Take

The Z Word by Lyndsay King-Miller is a book that has such a great concept but is overshadowed with unlikeable characters, lack of ingenuity, and forgettable events. I honestly wish that I would have not finished it. If not for the presence of one well-crafted character, it would have been a one star read.

Tell Me More

Friends… this one was just not it.

Going in, I knew that The Z Word was going to be comedic horror. Even though it’s not usually my jam, I was okay with it due to the LGBTQIA+ focus, which we all know I love. However, what I got instead was a book filled with unlikeable characters, many of whom were caricatures of LGBTQIA+ folx, a generic zombie concept that brought nothing new to this horror niche and unnecessary and misplaced graphic sex scenes.

Wendy is one of the most unlikable characters I’ve read in recent years. She doesn’t seem to own up to a mistake she made that caused her to lose her girlfriend and all of her friends, but complains the entire time about how they left her. The book is heavily focused on sex and filled with more graphic sex scenes than horror scenes, which was deeply disappointing. Sex scenes have their place, such as in erotic horror or a separate genre like dark romance, but the scenes in this book were just filler and detracted from the horror elements, which were few and far between. I honestly barely remember any of the horror elements because they were so overshadowed by the side romances, flings, and hookups that were happening. When it came time to describe the zombies and the “twist” that made the entire apocalypse happen, I just didn’t care anymore.

However, there was one bright light in this novel (the reason I gave this book two stars instead of one), and that was the nonbinary pizza delivery driver: Sunshine. Sunshine shows up a few times, but not nearly enough! They become a wielding zombie fighter/pizza delivery driver and if the author had ditched the entire cast of characters and focused solely on Sunshine and their adventures, it would have been a much more exciting and horrific experience.

Unfortunately, I don’t recommend this one. If not for the LGBTQIA+ focus, it would be completely unremarkable. If you need some go-to recommendations for queer horror, please see Night’s Edge by Liz Kerin, Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle, and Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White.

*Thank you to Quirk Books for the review copy.

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ARC Review: The Bible for Living a Gothic Lifestyle

Gothic Life: The Essential Guide to Macabre Style by Aurelio Voltaire Synopsis

The New York Times–dubbed “Martha Stewart for Macabre Homemakers,” Aurelio Voltaire, presents the definitive guide to revamping your sanctuary to match your eerie vibe.  

Are you ready to embrace your dark side? In Gothic Life, Aurelio Voltaire shows you how to do just that, using the expertise honed as founder and host of the show Gothic Homemaking and years of stop-motion animation work to take you on a journey to goth-hood. From DIY design projects to helpful haunted hosting tips and tricks, with this step-by-step reference, you’ll transform your domain to capture your spooky essence with lessons   The history and mindset of goths, including gothic icons from Vincent Price to Tim Burton to Wednesday Addams Enchanting home décor, making use of spooky color palettes (beyond black!) and all the bats and gargoyles your gothic heart could want A gothic dinner party menu featuring the likes of squid ink linguini and charcoal ice cream Holiday and party prep to celebrate Halloween and beyond Whether you are looking for new ways to express your inner goth year-round or seeking brilliantly haunting ideas for your next Halloween bash, Gothic Life reveals the secrets to unleashing your inner goth and transforming the mundane to the macabre.

Release Date

August 20, 2024

Overall Rating

5/5

Quick Take

Gothic Life: The Essential Guide to Macabre Style by Aurelio Voltaire is required reading for all fans of the macabre. It is a beautiful and fun book that is perfect for guiding you on how to live a spooky life year-round, no matter your personal eerie style.

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When I say that I about screamed when this book arrived on my porch, I’m not kidding. Voltaire is iconic (if you haven’t listened to his music or seen his YouTube channel, do it NOW!)

Gothic Life is basically the bible for macabre style. I found that a lot of it was for beginners – meaning that if you already live a full-out gothic life, and your home is a complete lair, you may not get a lot out of this book. However, for someone like me who is super eclectic (my house is equal parts Halloween, horror, Disney, and rainbows – as is my style) this book gave me some excellent ideas and insights.

I loved how the book wasn’t pretentious at all. Voltaire highlights his style, his suggestions on color schemes and their meanings, while also incorporating fun projects and recipes for year-round celebrations. My favorite parts were the ideas for Summerween, Halloween, and Creepy Christmas. But I also thoroughly enjoyed the section that highlighted other creators, their styles, and a peek into their own homes.

There is also a portion of the book where he dives into the history of classic icons, like Elvira and Vincent Price, and includes destinations for gothic vacations – as well as tips on how to do gothic “staycations” should you not be able to travel.

All of the included recipes were immediately sober-friendly, with suggestions on adding booze if you wish, which was lovely to see. His note on taxidermy and being against trophy hunting and ethically sourcing artifacts for taxidermy gave me so much respect for him as well.

Gothic Life is very well-rounded. It gives you ideas on creating a spooky home while incorporating other ways to live the macabre lifestyle – including hosting themed parties and giving you insight into the world of gothic life. Even if you aren’t devoted to creating a macabre lifestyle but enjoy the ambiance, this book is a true treat to flip through. Voltaire emphasizes that there is no “wrong” way to live a gothic life, and the feeling of inclusivity makes this book so well-rounded. I can’t praise it enough.

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Book Review: An Unexpectedly Thoughtful and Traumatizing Read

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay Synopsis

A chilling twist on the “cursed film” genre from the bestselling author of The Pallbearers Club and The Cabin at the End of the World.

In June 1993, a group of young guerilla filmmakers spent four weeks making Horror Movie, a notorious, disturbing, art-house horror flick.

The weird part? Only three of the film’s scenes were ever released to the public, but Horror Movie has nevertheless grown a rabid fanbase. Three decades later, Hollywood is pushing for a big budget reboot.

The man who played “The Thin Kid” is the only surviving cast member. He remembers all too well the secrets buried within the original screenplay, the bizarre events of the filming, and the dangerous crossed lines on set that resulted in tragedy. As memories flood back in, the boundaries between reality and film, past and present start to blur. But he’s going to help remake the film, even if it means navigating a world of cynical producers, egomaniacal directors, and surreal fan conventions — demons of the past be damned.

But at what cost? 

Horror Movie is an obsessive, psychologically chilling, and suspenseful twist on the “cursed film” that breathlessly builds to an unforgettable, mind-bending conclusion.

Overall Rating

5/5

Spooky Rating

3/5 initially – but it creeps up to 4/5 towards the end, and the more you think about the novel after reading it

Quick Take

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay is an atmospheric and cinematic horror novel that creeps, slowly worming its way into your brain and rewiring everything that you think you know. It is a reflection on the creation of art, cult fandom, and horror movies, and how once art has been created and released into the world – it becomes something else entirely. This one will make you work for it, but damn if it isn’t rewarding!

Tell Me More

Horror Movie is my third book by Paul Tremblay. The Cabin at the End of the World was my first, and I was in the minority that loved it.

Now, here is what I’ve come to learn about Tremblay’s books. I genuinely hope that this helps you if you have not read his work yet or have mixed feelings about it.

They are not horror novels that come out swinging. They are not going to throw machetes at you and hope something sticks, so to speak. What you have to understand about Tremblay’s writing is that the horror of it comes from what isn’t shown. Sure, there may be scenes that depict “classically” horrific things, but he’s not feeding those scenes to you. He is coaching your imagination, prodding it, and making it work for him. With Tremblay’s books, it’s always what you put into the story that you get out of it. He won’t be spoon feeding the story to you, your thoughts and perception will become his equal partner in how the story lands.

That, my friends, is why I think Tremblay’s books get mixed reviews. You either love them, or hate them, and there is rarely an in-between. It makes total sense to me that he and Stephen Graham Jones are friends, because their work tends to land the same way.

Horror Movie is basically a tale about the “Thin Kid,” a man who played this character in a cult horror movie that never was. We never learn his real name; he is referred to as the “Thin Kid” throughout. Only three scenes from the movie were ever released, but it created a cult fandom that leads to the optioning of a reboot in present time.

The book goes back and forth in time, and highlights scenes from the script of the movie that the book is about. It is through these scenes that we learn essentially what the “Thin Kid” was put through in the movie, how things went wrong, and most importantly, how either the role changed the man playing, he changed the role, or both. The “Thin Kid” is a deeply unknowable character. By him not having an actual name, and following his story throughout, we never really know if he is trustworthy. Even after finishing the book, I still think about him, and wonder who this man really was.

Horror Movie is a narrative about the creation of art, how fans possess it once it is released, and how it ultimately changes the creator and the consumer. But it is also about the horror community, its pros and cons, and all of the weirdness that comes with it.

All of the characters in the book are wholly “unknowable.” We know very little about all of them, and that adds to the ambiguous atmosphere that the book possesses. At no point in time were any of the characters trustworthy, and I think that that played on the idea that none of us are truly “knowable” or simply “good or bad.” We all make choices based on our own experiences and perceptions, and we are all ultimately changed and molded by the media we consume.

Is this a book that can go over your head if you aren’t careful? Absolutely. I am already planning on going back in and annotating to further try and comprehend it. I am as mesmerized by it as I am scared, and to me, that is a beautiful thing. Please just try it out. That’s all that I ask.

Bonus

Here’s a picture of me meeting Paul Tremblay a few weeks ago. He was in discussion with Stephen Graham Jones and Walter Chaw. It was such an interesting conversation on horror, the horror community, and the power of horror films and media!

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OFFICIALLY OPEN: Pride with a Bite Indie Publisher

Happy Wednesday, Horror Fiends!

I am so excited to announce that my indie publisher, Pride with a Bite, is now officially open! I have been working on this project for quite a while, and I am so excited to finally open it to the world. Pride with a Bite is an indie publisher of horror and horror-adjacent works by LGBTQIA+ creators. We feature a quarterly eZine, anthology opportunities, and independent projects (novels, novellas, and collections). We are also going to offer marketing assistance soon to already established LGBTQIA+ creators.

Mission Statement

“Pride with a Bite is an independent publisher of horror and horror-adjacent works by LGBTQIA+ creators. We aim to provide a safe space for diverse creators through our quarterly eZine, A Bite of Pride, anthology opportunities, and independent novels, novellas, and collections. We also offer marketing opportunities for established creators in this area.

Our mission is to help expand the queer horror space by providing unique opportunities and an inclusive community for LGBTQIA+ creators of all backgrounds to connect. We are dedicated to helping all of our creators get their voices out and honor the diverse range of voices that LGBTQIA+ creators represent.”

We are currently looking for creators to join our staff writing team for our eZine, “A Bite of Pride,” as well as reviewers, book tour participants, and beta readers to join our Bite Crew. We also have open opportunities for creators to submit novel, novella, or collection proposals. See the available opportunities below.

Creator OpportunitiesExplore Influencer Opportunities Explore

If you can help me to spread word about Pride with a Bite, I would deeply appreciate it! Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive so far.

Much love,

Ashley

OPEN CALL: X/Y – A JUNK DRAWER OF TRANS VOICES

HAPPY THURSDAY, EVERYONE!

I hope that you are having a great week. I just wanted to give you a heads up on a writing opportunity for any of you authors out there who identify as trans or are questioning your gender!

A friend of mine has been invited on as a guest editor for the next issue of x/y: a junk drawer of trans voices by The Dionysian Public Library. You can see more information about the open call in his Instagram post below, but I am including the info further on in this post as well.

QUICK NOTE: Deadline has been extended to July 14, 2024

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Knox (@lennox.rex.writer)

X/Y: A JUNK DRAWER OF TRANS VOICES

The true genesis of the project that would eventually become DPL, x/y was a zine that ran from 2018-2020, providing a platform for trans and gender-diverse artists to share their work, be it poetry, prose, visual art, or anything else that could conceivably be reproduced in a printed form. Rebooted in 2023 with new numbering, x/y is open to anyone who identifies as trans (or to those who are seeking a platform to explore their relationship to gender but aren’t quite sure how they identify). Don’t be afraid to send us your weirdest, most challenging work, and interpret the theme however you wish; we are not interested merely in neat and tidy trans stories about representation and empowerment, but in representing the totality of the trans experience, scars and all. Though we are not currently able to pay for submissions for x/y, we hope to see this change for future issues. For now, you will receive both a contributor’s copy of the zine and a printable PDF so that you can print as many copies as you want.

GENERAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Prose, poetry, and other written work should be submitted as either a .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. Prose should be formatted in something approaching Shunn Manuscript Format, though deviations from this format will not disqualify you. After all, who are we to tell you what to do with your work. We have no guidelines or restrictions on content, and in fact hope to see your most challenging work, should you trust us with it. Other than that, we’re pretty loosey-goosey with what we’re hoping to see.

Please send your work to dionysianpubliclibrary@gmail.com, including your name, a few details about your piece, and a short third-person bio with any relevant social media links. Simultaneous and multiple submissions welcomed. 

I hope you have a great rest of your day!

Ashley Nestler, MSW

CEO of Peachy Keen Reviews & Bibliotherapy

Open Call: x/y – A Junk Drawer of Trans Voices

Happy Thursday, Everyone!

I hope that you are having a great week. I just wanted to give you a heads up on a writing opportunity for any of you authors out there who identify as trans or are questioning your gender!

A friend of mine has been invited on as a guest editor for the next issue of x/y: a junk drawer of trans voices by The Dionysian Public Library. You can see more information about the open call in his Instagram post below, but I am including the info further on in this post as well.

QUICK NOTE: Deadline has been extended to July 14, 2024

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Knox (@lennox.rex.writer)

x/y: a junk drawer of trans voices

The true genesis of the project that would eventually become DPL, x/y was a zine that ran from 2018-2020, providing a platform for trans and gender-diverse artists to share their work, be it poetry, prose, visual art, or anything else that could conceivably be reproduced in a printed form. Rebooted in 2023 with new numbering, x/y is open to anyone who identifies as trans (or to those who are seeking a platform to explore their relationship to gender but aren’t quite sure how they identify). Don’t be afraid to send us your weirdest, most challenging work, and interpret the theme however you wish; we are not interested merely in neat and tidy trans stories about representation and empowerment, but in representing the totality of the trans experience, scars and all. Though we are not currently able to pay for submissions for x/y, we hope to see this change for future issues. For now, you will receive both a contributor’s copy of the zine and a printable PDF so that you can print as many copies as you want.

General Submission Guidelines

Prose, poetry, and other written work should be submitted as either a .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. Prose should be formatted in something approaching Shunn Manuscript Format, though deviations from this format will not disqualify you. After all, who are we to tell you what to do with your work. We have no guidelines or restrictions on content, and in fact hope to see your most challenging work, should you trust us with it. Other than that, we’re pretty loosey-goosey with what we’re hoping to see.

Please send your work to dionysianpubliclibrary@gmail.com, including your name, a few details about your piece, and a short third-person bio with any relevant social media links. Simultaneous and multiple submissions welcomed. 

I hope you have a great rest of your day!

Ashley Nestler, MSW

CEO of The Horror Maven

ARC Review: A Female Rage Bonanza Not for the Squeamish

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim Release Date: June 25, 2024Synopsis

Feminist psychological horror about the making of a female serial killer from a Korean-American perspective.

Ji-won’s life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her appa’s extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying… yet enticing.

In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George’s, who is Umma’s obnoxious new boyfriend. George has already overstayed his welcome in her family’s claustrophobic apartment. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescending toward Ji-won and her sister as if he deserves all of Umma’s fawning adoration. No, George doesn’t deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.

For no matter how many victims accumulate around her campus or how many people she must deceive and manipulate, Ji-won’s hunger and her rage deserve to be sated.

A brilliantly inventive, subversive novel about a young woman unraveling, Monika Kim’s The Eyes Are the Best Part is a story of a family falling apart and trying to find their way back to each other, marking a bold new voice in horror that will leave readers mesmerized and craving more.

Overall Rating

4/5

Spooky Rating

3/5

Quick Take

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim is an ingenious take on the making of a female serial killer through a Korean-American perspective. The body horror, eye horror, and cannibalism are nauseating, but the unhinged thoughts and female rage are what truly haunted me. If you can stomach it, this is a must-read for fans of female rage horror. It is sure to become as iconic as Maeve Fly by CJ Leede and American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.

Tell Me More

Female rage horror is a favorite of mine, and going into this book I was intrigued by the Korean-American perspective. Objectification of Asian women is a big focus of the novel, and I was so happy to see the main character, Ji-won, and her sister, Ji-hyun, fight back against it. The book follows Ji-won after her father leaves their family and addresses the anger and grief that both Ji-won and her sister experience. Ji-won begins to slowly unravel, but things truly escalate when her mother starts dating a white man named George. George’s sense of superiority and objectification of Asian women is wild and disgusting. Through the ordeal, Ji-won’s hatred of him and her father begins to spread to other men as well.

George and my mother are sleeping deeply. Umma is still, but with every breath George hacks and coughs. I’ll watch as the life seeps out of him. His face will turn blue. The scene gives me so much pleasure that for a moment I run my hand over the blankets.

Grief, loneliness, and the feeling of being responsible for a parent’s emotions and wellbeing are main aspects of the story, making it was unexpectedly heartbreaking. While Ji-won’s actions and thoughts were unhinged, I did relate to her with her feelings of jealousy over her high school friends who all got into the same college without her. While her actions against them were inappropriate, they were surprisingly cathartic. Her loneliness caused her to become possessive over a new friend at her college, and it highlighted how difficult adult friendships can be.

While there were some repetitions in phrases and the constant mentioning of the color blue which felt a bit overdone, the overall arc of Ji-won’s character development was terrifying. Her obsession with eyes and the descriptions of the process of eating them was shocking, but they revealed just how unhinged Ji-won was. The imagery was fantastic, and I felt nauseated throughout, but I couldn’t put the book down.

“You both need to be careful,” she said. “I know that the plant is pretty, but poison is everywhere, even in the places where you least expect it.”

The book is fairly fast paced, and the ending completely shocked me, which is hard to do. I ate it up, and I’m still thinking about it and trying to dissect and make sense of some of what happened. However, it did feel like the ending was a bit hurried, and I wish that it had been drawn out a little longer.

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim is a horror novel unlike anything I have ever read. It features Korean-American issues, family drama, and deep body horror all with a serial killer twist. While it wasn’t perfect, it is a must read for fans of the genre. I am excited to see what this author does next!

Trigger Warnings: violence, body horror, eye horror, murder, cannibalism, descriptions of war trauma (non-graphic, starvation), stalking, sexism, and racism (Asian objectification).

*Thank you to Kensington Books, Erewhon Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. All quotes used have been compared with the final copy.

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Book Review: Satanic Panic Mayhem

Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman

Synopsis

Inspired by the McMartin preschool trials and the Satanic Panic of the ‘80s, the critically acclaimed author of The Remaking delivers another pulse pounding, true-crime-based horror novel.

…

Richard doesn’t have a past. For him, there is only the present: a new marriage to Tamara, a first chance at fatherhood to her son Elijah, and a quiet but pleasant life as an art teacher at Elijah’s elementary school in Danvers, Virginia. Then the body of a rabbit, ritualistically murdered, appears on the school grounds with a birthday card for Richard tucked beneath it. Richard doesn’t have a birthday—but Sean does . . .

…

Sean is a five-year-old boy who has just moved to Greenfield, Virginia, with his mother. Like most mothers of the 1980s, she’s worried about bills, childcare, putting food on the table . . . and an encroaching threat to American life that can take the face of anyone: a politician, a friendly neighbor, or even a teacher. When Sean’s school sends a letter to the parents revealing that Sean’s favorite teacher is under investigation, a white lie from Sean lights a fire that engulfs the entire nation—and Sean and his mother are left holding the match.

…

Now, thirty years later, someone is here to remind Richard that they remember what Sean did. And though Sean doesn’t exist anymore, someone needs to pay the price for his lies.

Overall Rating

4/5

Spooky Rating

2/5

Quick Take

Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman is a haunting and heartbreaking take on the Satanic Panic of the 80s. While it didn’t feel like a horror novel to me, I am very familiar with the true crime case it is based on, and I enjoyed the unique take on it.

Tell Me More

“What happens if you believe in a lie, believe it with every fiber of your body? Does it become real, somehow? Does the lie become the truth? Your truth?”

Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman

I admit that I picked this one up because of the cover. The image of the kids circling a pentagram was fantastic, and I was intrigued by the Satanic Panic concept of the story. I have studied the case that this book was inspired by extensively, and I found it intriguing how it was told from the perspective of Richard – one of the children who accused their teacher of abuse. But instead of focusing primarily on Richard as a child, it pinpointed his perspective as an adult. Alternating chapters revealed flashbacks to his experience as a kid, and the chapters changed perspectives from first person to third throughout. This may bother some readers, but I ultimately found it helpful because it separated Richard’s adult and childhood experiences.

This book was definitely more of a psychological thriller and faux true crime than outright horror, and it was ultimately heartbreaking. Without revealing too much, it focuses on how the Satanic Panic and influence of urging children to say certain things about their teacher ruined so many lives. There were quite a few twists and turns I wasn’t expecting, and I loved the suspense. McLeod Chapman has a quirky voice that made his writing fun to read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is my first book by him, and it certainly won’t be my last! If you like unreliable narrators and psychological thrillers that mirror real cases, then you simply must read this book. It was unexpectedly filled with true to life horror and heart.

 ADDED BONUS: I appreciated the author’s note and reading/viewing list that were included in the back of the book. They provide more information on the Satanic Panic and the case that influenced this book. It was a great add on!

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Author Chat with Angela Sylvaine

Happy Wednesday, horror fiends!

We are halfway through the week, and I hope that the week is treating you well! I, personally, am hiding from the ever-encroaching heat as much as I possibly can.

I am excited to share with you today an interview I had with author Angela Sylvaine, or as she likes to call herself, The Cheerful Goth! I recently read and reviewed her newest collection, The Dead Spot: Stories of Lost Girls, and it was absolutely brilliant. My review can be found here.

I hope you enjoy our interview and that you take the time to look into some of Angela’s work!

Much love,

Ashley

Interview Between Angela Sylvaine & Ashley Nestler, MSW

What made you want to go into writing horror?  Have you always preferred writing in this space, or are there other genres you have explored?

I came to writing pretty late, in my mid thirties, when I tried writing and was immediately hooked. I started writing YA paranormal romance, but my stories were naturally far darker than they should have been for that genre. So, I embraced horror as my happy place! I grew up reading and watching horror, so it was a natural fit. 

As a fellow Coloradoan, how has living in Colorado impacted your writing?

I think the setting of Colorado is a natural inspiration for horror, as Stephen King can attest to (what Colorado horror writer hasn’t visited the Stanley and gazed at the door of the room where he hatched the idea for The Shining?). What lurks in the woods and mountains? What can happen when a storm rolls in, and you’re trapped inside by several feet of snow? We live in a beautiful place, but with beauty there is always a tradeoff of what evil lurks within.

Do you prefer writing short stories, novel-length pieces, or any other formats in-between?

I really love writing everything from drabbels to novels! I started writing novels, but that is such a big-time commitment (sometimes years), and I’ve found peppering in working on shorter works helps me remain inspired, break through writer’s block, and build my writing resume. 

What is some advice you have for folks who want to get into the horror writing space?

I think the best way to break into horror is to write about something that scares you. Scared of the dark? Afraid to look in that mirror? Shriek at the sight of a spider? That’s a great place to start a horror story. Just remember to put your own spin on it!

Are there specific sub-genres of horror that you like to explore?

I dabble is pretty much everything- psychological horror, paranormal, sci-fi horror, gothic, splatterpunk, you name it. But if I had to choose my absolute favorite, it would be horror comedy. In real life, I am someone who breaks tension with jokes, and I also like my horror with a good dose of fun, so horror comedy is the perfect combo.

Author Bio

Angela Sylvaine is a self-proclaimed cheerful goth who writes speculative fiction and poetry. Her debut novel, Frost Bite, a 90s sci-fi horror comedy, and her debut short story collection, The Dead Spot: Stories of Lost Girls, are available now. Her retro 80s mall slasher, Chopping Spree, will be available September 2024. Angela’s short fiction and poetry have appeared in or on over fifty anthologies, magazines, and podcasts, including Southwest Review, Apex, and The NoSleep Podcast. She lives in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains with her sweetheart and three creepy cats.

You can find her online:

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