"One decision can change a person's life." This isn't just the opening line to author Kayla Frederick's "The Residency," but it's also the overall theme of this cautionary tale, a clever take on the "Battle Royale" horror trope. In "The Residency," a group of starving artists from a wide variety of mediums receive what seems to be the invitation of a lifetime: to participate in a weeklong program on a private island resort, sponsored by an enigmatic and seemingly magnanimous

One of the earliest descriptions of a werewolf can be found in "The Epic of Gilgamesh," the first-ever recorded story in human civilization. In the millennia since that ancient debut, stories of wolves and men, and the amalgamation of the two, have fascinated and terrified mankind. In her latest novel, "Turn," author Megan Stockton offers an imaginative take on the classic horror trope, combining body horror, creature-feature, and, at its heart, a love story in a gruesome, he

Although "That's Not My Face" by Amanda Ruzsa is horrifying, it's meant more as a portrait of someone struggling with mental illness than simply another ghost story. And while Ruzsa is not the first to draw such an analogy, through her deft hand and striking imagery, she's able to convey true terror, dismay, and despair that all feel painfully, poignantly true to life. In "That's Not My Face," April is a young woman haunted by sinister apparitions that appear to her in her ow

I fell in love with Desiree Horton's writing last year after reading "The Curse of Marystown." She has such a tremendous talent for description, and creates settings, characters, and creatures you can easily visualize in your mind. No place is this more evident than in her newest release, "The Drowned One," available July 1. Featuring stunning cover artwork by Christy Aldridge at Grim Poppy Designs, this dark tale combines elements of cosmic and body horror, and introduces a

Earlier in the year, I read and absolutely loved A.C. Hessenauer's noirish supernatural story, "Manimal," so I was excited for the chance to check out her new release, "Going to the Six," which released on June 16. And while "Going to the Six" has very different narrative style, setting, and theme compared to "Manimal," at its heart, it showcases what I've discovered is Hessenauer's strongest suit as a writer: complex characters embroiled in complicated relationships. "Going

You asked for it, and now it's here: What Lies Unseen is available now in audio from Wicked House and Tantor Media. It's narrated by Phil Thron, who brings the story vividly to life. In What Lies Unseen, Sam Avery sees things no one else can, gruesome spirits that have haunted and plagued him since childhood. He believes he is alone in this terrifying ability, until he meets beautiful Amanda Foster, who can hear the voices of the dead. Amanda tells Sam there are even more lik

In "Borrowed Bones" by Winona Morris, widower Russ Simmons can't let go of the past. Unable to move past his wife, Liza's unexpected death, he spends his days lingering in the home the two of them shared, gazing out the window at the crepe myrtle tree Liza adored, and toward the dense woods through which she'd loved to roam. Trapped in an endless cycle of grief, he begins to develop the unshakable notion that those woods are looking back at him. In the small town of Hachette

Seeing "Obsession" yesterday got me in the horror movie mood, so last night, I rented "Lee Cronin's The Mummy" and checked it out. I have to say, I haven't laughed that hard at something that unintentionally funny in a long time. I knew 20 minutes into this thing it was going to be one of those movies. The first clue was the fact they felt they needed to tell us in multiple ways that the first scenes are set in Cairo, Egypt. First, there's a newsclip of the dad, Charlie Canno

Saw "Obsession" yesterday afternoon and really enjoyed it. I suspect this was one I expected more out of because of all the hype about it, so I didn't end up liking it as much as I wanted to. All and all, though, it was a terrifying, terrific flick with a great concept, gruesome special effects (practical, not CGI - even better!), and an incredible cast (especially the two leads, Inde Navarette and Michael Johnston). If I had one beef with it, it was the scene where Bear driv

Happy book birthday to Sinister Street, a suburban horror anthology featuring eleven short stories by the members of the Sinister Scribes community on Facebook: Matthew B. Davis, Ross Killey, Jason Garman, Brian S. Roe, Ann O'Mara Heyward, D.L. Winchester, A.C. Hessenauer, Bryan Holm, Eve L. Fell, Stuart Connover, and yours truly. And to make it even better, proceeds from the book go to Room to Read, a children's literacy agency. ​​ Includes my short story "Community Covenant

"Ghost Glasses" by Rikki Goodwin is at times heartwarming or heartbreaking, but always, at its heart, about family. Not just the one we're born with, but the family we make for ourselves, the people in life (and in this case, in the afterlife) who make us feel needed, important, and above all else, remembered. At the center of the story is Poppy, the ghost of a young woman killed in the 1960s when she is struck by a garbage truck on her way to work. Since that time, she has w

Happy book birthday to Cryptids, the latest in the Classic Monsters anthology series by KJK Publishing. They have always been there. Just beyond the edge of the treeline. Beneath dark water. In the places humans don’t map.They are called cryptids. Creatures that should not exist, yet they continue to be seen. In this chilling eighth instalment of the Classic Monsters series, Kevin J. Kennedy turns his attention to the unknown beasts that haunt global folklore and modern sight

Happy belated book birthday to the Jewel Edition of the bestselling anthology series, The Horror Collection from KJK Publishing! In this, the 32nd book in The Horror Collection series, terror takes on many forms, cosmic, grotesque, psychological, and deeply human. Across a haunting array of stories, ordinary people are pushed beyond their limits, confronting ancient evils, unraveling realities, and the consequences of their own darkest desires. In my short story, "Memories

I love found footage horror movies. Books that emulate that style are a secret guilty pleasure, too. I should qualify these statements by adding "when done well," because anyone who enjoys found footage knows they can be really, really good or really, really bad. Like really bad. "They Looked Like People" by K.E. Koontz definitely falls into the former category. It's a fantastic book, fast-paced, taut, and truly terrifying. Told from the perspective of a story within a story,

I've read several books lately that have that classic detective-noir feel to them. It's becoming a horror subgenre I enjoy a great deal, especially when you throw in a splash of humor along the way. "Manimal," by A.C. Hessenauer is a fantastic example of why these elements mix together so well, resulting in a story that's quick-paced, witty, dark, and fun. In "Manimal," police detectives Jack Quinn and August Sullivan are on the case, trying to find out who's responsible for

Sarah Jules is an auto-buy for me. I love her writing. Whether one of her longer works, like "You Invited It In" or her short "Tiny Terrible Tales," her stories are always taut, suspenseful, and genuinely spooky. Her latest entry into the Tiny Terrible Tales series, "The Ghostwriter" proves to be no exception. In "The Ghostwriter," a young woman named Clio journeys to a bleak and isolated island off the coast of Scotland after being commissioned by the island's sole occupant,

Zombies are a pretty standard trope in horror fiction, one that you could argue has been overdone. How many ways can the living dead be reimagined? You'd think that well had been mined bone dry, but over my past few reads, I've discovered that's definitely not the case. Between "Where the Tide Leaves Its Dead" by Bray Matheson, the new anthology "Zombies" from KJK Publishing, and most recently, "Fenek the Survivor" by Nicholas Grady, it seems fresh ideas, innovative takes, an

I've had zombies on the brain lately, having written a short story to submit for KJK Publishing's new Zombies anthology that just released this week. At the same time, I was also reading "Where The Tide Leaves Its Dead" by Bray Mattheson which, coincidentally, also revolves around zombies. "Where The Tide Leaves Its Dead" is a mix of dark humor, horror, and survivalism, set against the tropical backdrop of a south Pacific island in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. Not ju

Happy book birthday to Zombies, Book 6 in the Classic Monsters anthology series from KJK Publishing. This collection includes my short story, "Scream for Me," in which a serial killer gets more than he bargains for when he sets out to bury his latest victim in the backwoods of Kentucky. From the publisher: Zombies a relentless collection of horrifying, heartbreaking, and darkly imaginative tales that explores the undead in all their terrifying forms. From plague-ridden street

War is hell, especially for the innocent people caught in between the embattled, opposing forces. In Elizabeth Devecchi's upcoming novel, The Shadow Beside Her, readers are introduced to young Maria, one such unfortunate innocent. As the story opens, Maria enjoys an idyllic life where she is doted on by her parents, as well as her extended family. She lives in a bustling village, but frequently visits the neighboring countryside, where her uncle owns a farm. It's here that Ma