Dave Zeltserman's Blog, page 55
August 1, 2011
July 28, 2011
July 23, 2011
A short (800 word) story
Hope You're Having Yourself an Especially Grand Time
by
Dave Zeltserman
(originally published in Discount Noir)
Hank Tilson welcomed the man with the angry eyes to MegloMart. When this man stared at the rattlesnake in hell tattoo on the inside of Hank's right forearm and then told Hank to have an especially grand time himself, it gave Hank the shivers. Partly it was the way this man's expression changed when he saw Hank's tattoo, and partly it was the sound of this man's voice. But it was also those words.
Now I hope you're having yourself an especially grand time…
Those words were familiar to Hank, and lurked somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind. He couldn't quite pull out where those words were from, but he knew they meant something special, just like he couldn't quite pull out from his memory why this man seemed so damn familiar. It was two months ago when Hank took this job as a MegloMart greeter. Three weeks ago this man showed up for the first time and instantly started giving Hank the dead eye. Everyday afterwards this man would show up to glare angrily at Hank and stare at his right arm. Hank had broken his arm four months earlier and had a cast covering his tattoo. It wasn't until last night that he had the cast removed. This was the first time this man had seen his tattoo.
Hank realized then where he knew this man from. It was over twenty years ago, but as he thought more about this man he could see the resemblance and he remembered it all. Back then the man would've been thirty, Hank would've been close to the same age. At that time Hank was a full-blown meth addict and he supported his habit by stealing whatever he could, sometimes beating up and mugging the elderly, sometimes through home invasions. This was where Hank had first seen this man: during one of his home invasions. Hank was pretty sure this wasn't in Muncie, Indiana where this MegloMart was. He was pretty sure also it wasn't in Indiana, but he couldn't remember where it had taken place.
That night Hank was just going to rob them. He had gloves and a mask on, and he had no intention early on of doing what he did. But the man's wife was such a tiny pretty little thing, and it pissed Hank off realizing that he'd never have a tiny pretty little thing of his own, at least not of their free will. So he changed his plans. He had brought a .38 revolver with him, and he used that to force the wife to tie up her husband, and then he did terrible things to her as he made the husband watch. After he was through with her, he choked her to death. Then he told the husband that he hoped he was having himself an especially grand time. He should've killed the husband also, but in his meanness he wanted this man alive and remembering what happened to his pretty little thing. This wasn't the only murder Hank ever committed, but when he eventually got arrested it was for check kiting, and not for any of the beatings or home invasions or murders that he did. He ended up serving seven years at the Shawnee Correctional Center, and when he got out he supported himself with low-level cons and odd jobs.
His heart started palpitating wildly in his chest over the thought that that man had recognized him. But he had a mask on that day, and back then he was as thin as a weed, and by the time he had left Shawnee his body had thickened and changed. These damn MegloMart uniforms with the short sleeves and vests! If he were allowed to wear a long sleeve shirt, the man never would've seen his tattoo. But still, how could this man be sure from just one tattoo? Hank wanted to flee, but if he did the man would certainly be sure then.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder. Hank turned and saw the man whose pretty little thing from long ago he had tortured and butchered.
"Aren't you going to ask if I found everything I was looking for?" the man said.
Hank was sweating badly now. He nodded, croaked out, "Sure."
"Yep, sure did." The man took a hunting knife out of his bag and showed it to Hank. "I was told it could cut through bone as easy as paper."
With that the man plunged the knife into Hank's chest. At first everything went black. Then Hank could see again, although it was hazy with flames everywhere. Standing in front of him was a dour looking demon who gave Hank a forced tired smile and welcomed him to hell.
The End
by
Dave Zeltserman
(originally published in Discount Noir)
Hank Tilson welcomed the man with the angry eyes to MegloMart. When this man stared at the rattlesnake in hell tattoo on the inside of Hank's right forearm and then told Hank to have an especially grand time himself, it gave Hank the shivers. Partly it was the way this man's expression changed when he saw Hank's tattoo, and partly it was the sound of this man's voice. But it was also those words.
Now I hope you're having yourself an especially grand time…
Those words were familiar to Hank, and lurked somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind. He couldn't quite pull out where those words were from, but he knew they meant something special, just like he couldn't quite pull out from his memory why this man seemed so damn familiar. It was two months ago when Hank took this job as a MegloMart greeter. Three weeks ago this man showed up for the first time and instantly started giving Hank the dead eye. Everyday afterwards this man would show up to glare angrily at Hank and stare at his right arm. Hank had broken his arm four months earlier and had a cast covering his tattoo. It wasn't until last night that he had the cast removed. This was the first time this man had seen his tattoo.
Hank realized then where he knew this man from. It was over twenty years ago, but as he thought more about this man he could see the resemblance and he remembered it all. Back then the man would've been thirty, Hank would've been close to the same age. At that time Hank was a full-blown meth addict and he supported his habit by stealing whatever he could, sometimes beating up and mugging the elderly, sometimes through home invasions. This was where Hank had first seen this man: during one of his home invasions. Hank was pretty sure this wasn't in Muncie, Indiana where this MegloMart was. He was pretty sure also it wasn't in Indiana, but he couldn't remember where it had taken place.
That night Hank was just going to rob them. He had gloves and a mask on, and he had no intention early on of doing what he did. But the man's wife was such a tiny pretty little thing, and it pissed Hank off realizing that he'd never have a tiny pretty little thing of his own, at least not of their free will. So he changed his plans. He had brought a .38 revolver with him, and he used that to force the wife to tie up her husband, and then he did terrible things to her as he made the husband watch. After he was through with her, he choked her to death. Then he told the husband that he hoped he was having himself an especially grand time. He should've killed the husband also, but in his meanness he wanted this man alive and remembering what happened to his pretty little thing. This wasn't the only murder Hank ever committed, but when he eventually got arrested it was for check kiting, and not for any of the beatings or home invasions or murders that he did. He ended up serving seven years at the Shawnee Correctional Center, and when he got out he supported himself with low-level cons and odd jobs.
His heart started palpitating wildly in his chest over the thought that that man had recognized him. But he had a mask on that day, and back then he was as thin as a weed, and by the time he had left Shawnee his body had thickened and changed. These damn MegloMart uniforms with the short sleeves and vests! If he were allowed to wear a long sleeve shirt, the man never would've seen his tattoo. But still, how could this man be sure from just one tattoo? Hank wanted to flee, but if he did the man would certainly be sure then.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder. Hank turned and saw the man whose pretty little thing from long ago he had tortured and butchered.
"Aren't you going to ask if I found everything I was looking for?" the man said.
Hank was sweating badly now. He nodded, croaked out, "Sure."
"Yep, sure did." The man took a hunting knife out of his bag and showed it to Hank. "I was told it could cut through bone as easy as paper."
With that the man plunged the knife into Hank's chest. At first everything went black. Then Hank could see again, although it was hazy with flames everywhere. Standing in front of him was a dour looking demon who gave Hank a forced tired smile and welcomed him to hell.
The End
July 21, 2011
"modern masterpieces of neo-noir writing"
"These three books, "Small Crimes", "Pariah", and "Killer", are modern masterpieces of neo-noir writing. They may serve as a primer on the ongoing power and possibilities inherent in the genre." - Steve Shadow Schwartz, Poisoned Fiction Review
July 20, 2011
Booklist review for A Killer's Essence
Zeltserman is garnering quite a reputation for innovation in crime fiction, and his latest book shows why. Beginning with all the customary trappings of a world-weary cop yarn, the novel smoothly transitions into Zeltserman's subtle, edgy brand of horror. Homicide detective Stan Green thinks his one lead to the identity of a serial killer just went south when Zachary Lynch, the only eyewitness, claims he only sees people's souls, not their faces. As Green gradually learns more than he really wants to know about Lynch and the bizarre ability he claims to possess, the novel becomes a character-rich study of conflict between preconception and perception. Mix in a serial killer making his debut, and the tension just keeps coming. Zeltserman's new work retains the honed-razor psychological insight of his award-winning The Caretaker of Lorne Field (2010). A scary, keep-you-guessing thriller not to be missed. — Elliott Swanson
July 18, 2011
More on Julius Katz and Archie
James Reasoner was kind enough to read and review Julius Katz and Archie, saying in part:
This is a well-plotted novel, but the real appeal of this book is the relationship between the two title characters and the funny, engaging voice in which Archie narrates the story. Also, in these days when mystery fiction has become increasingly divided into numerous sub-genres, it's nice to read a traditional mystery the likes of which once dominated the field. JULIUS KATZ AND ARCHIE is available as an inexpensive e-book, and it gets a very high recommendation from me.
You can read James' review here.
July 15, 2011
Julius Katz and Archie..
is being profiled at the Indies Book Blog
July 12, 2011
Top Suspense's Sizzling Summer Reads!
We're announcing a Summer Book Club over at Top Suspense. My entry is Dying Memories, which is probably a perfect thriller for the summer. Fast-paced, lots of twists and turns where you're never quite sure what's happening, a nice noir edge, nasty, dangerous villains and a protagonist to root for. That's right, my protagonist in this one is the good guy!
July 10, 2011
Take the Blood Crimes Summer Challenge
There's a reason why I keep hearing from readers who tell me they hate vampire books but loved Blood Crimes. This review from Paul Brazill seems to be representative of what I've been hearing from most readers:
"Let's face it; most vampires are big girl's blouses. If Tom Cruise in `Interview With A Vampire' is anything to go by then the typical vampire is about as scary as Adam Ant's `Dandy Highwayman'.
But there's nothing of the New Romantic about the vampires in Dave Zeltserman's `Blood Crimes'. These are hard rocking creatures of the night. Indeed, the book kicks off with our heroes ,Jim and Carol, driving along an archetypal American highway listening to The Doors `Riders On The Storm'. This sets the tone of 'Blood Crimes' perfectly although there's more than one `killer on the road' in this hardboiled take on the vampire legend.
Jim and Clara are classic noir lovers on the run, like those in They Drive By Night, Theives Like Us,Badlands and Natural Born Killers. They're trying to escape from Serena - a rich, vampire femme fatale - and Metcalf - an ex CIA hit man who performs experiments on vampires in an underground laboratory. Throw a world weary Private Eye and a biker gang into the mix and you have a really well written, blood splattered and very cinamatic page turner that fans of From Dusk Till Dawn and Near Dark will love. And not a lavender fop in sight!"
So here's my Summer challenge--if you've got a Kindle or Nook, download the free sample and see if you can read it without being hooked! And if you do get hooked, help spread the word!
